Abstract:
An exercise apparatus may include: a housing including a height configured to be mounted to a surface, a first longitudinal axis extending through the height; a biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis extends through the upper section; and a handle coupled to the upper section, wherein the biasing member is transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally parallel or collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are orthogonal with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased to toward the first position. A kit including the same is also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent 62/016,885, filed on Jun. 25, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION 
       [0002]    
       FIG. 1 
     
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    1. Technical Field 
         [0004]    The present disclosure generally relates to exercise apparatus and kit for components of the same, and more particularly, to a device that enables the performance of abdominal exercises in a standing up position. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    Currently, abdominal exercises are performed when in either a supine or sitting position. For a variety of reasons assuming a supine or sitting position is not ideal. For example, a lack of floor space, unclean and/or unsanitary ground surface, a lack of floor mats or other equipment that facilitate laying on a hard surface, physical impairments, and other issues may preclude or discourage one from assuming a supine or sitting position. Thus, many individuals are precluded or discouraged from engaging in heath-promoting abdominal exercises. 
         [0007]    There is a continuing need for a device that enables or facilitates performing abdominal exercises in a standing up position. 
       SUMMARY AND ASPECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is now recognized that there are several detriments in the related arts, at least one of which is overcome by one aspect of the proposed disclosure. 
         [0009]    Generally, an exercise kit, apparatus, and system may be securable to a surface such as a door. The exercise kit and apparatus facilitate performing abdominal exercises while in a standing position. The apparatus includes a biasing member that provides added flexural resistance while performing the exercises. In the kit, various biasing members may be provided, each having a different flexural resistance. 
         [0010]    In one aspect of the present disclosure, an exercise apparatus may include: a housing including a height configured to be mounted to a surface, a first longitudinal axis extending through the height; a biasing member, the biasing member including a substantially rigid upper section, a substantially rigid lower section, and a flexible joint therebetween, the flexible joint providing a flexural resistance, wherein the lower section is coupled to the housing and a second longitudinal axis extends through the upper section; and a handle coupled to the upper section. 
         [0011]    The biasing member may be transitionable between a first position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are generally parallel or collinear, and a second position in which the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis are orthogonal with respect to one another, the biasing member being biased to toward the first position. The flexible joint may include a flexible tube and at least one spring element disposed within the tube. The at least one spring element may include a first and second spring. The first and second springs may be intertwined such that they define a common central axis extending lengthwise therethrough. The biasing member may be releasably coupled to both the housing and the handle. A flexible sleeve may be disposed within the spring element, the sleeve being substantially aligned with the tube. 
         [0012]    A foot rest being may be coupled to the housing. The foot rest may include a surface, the surface defining a geometric plane, the surface being transitionable between a first position in which the plane is orthogonal with respect to the first longitudinal axis and a second position in which the plane is substantially parallel to the first longitudinal axis. The biasing member may be releasably coupled to the housing and to the handle. The handle may include a pair of handles that are configured to conform to a shape of user&#39;s shoulders. 
         [0013]    An exercise kit may include the above described exercise apparatus, and may further include a plurality of biasing members that each have a different flexural resistance value. The biasing members may be releasably coupled to the handle and to the housing such that they may be swapped for a particular biasing member having a desired flexural resistance value. 
         [0014]    It is further understood that the proposed exercise apparatus and kit may be understood as an exercise system and operate as an integrated system for exercise. 
         [0015]    It is further understood that one aspect of the present invention allows an adjustment of the supporting platform relative to the floor for easy door-access and use, as well as optional automatic movement of a supporting platform via an adjustment element to enhance such door-access and use. 
         [0016]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate similar or the same elements. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exercise device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the exercise device of  FIG. 1  shown in use; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a view of a housing coupled to a biasing member of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is an adjustment mechanism of  FIG. 1   
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a side view of part of the device as shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a biasing member of the device of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the part of the device as shown in  FIG. 6  illustrating a range of movement and adjustment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a front view of the part of the device as shown in  FIG. 6  illustrating the range of movement; 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the part of the device as shown in  FIG. 6  illustrating the range of movement; 
           [0027]      FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an adaptive biasing member for use in accordance with the present disclosure and the invention noted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the biasing member of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view of another adaptive biasing member in accordance with the present disclosure and the invention noted in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the biasing member of  FIG. 13 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 15  is view of an adjustment kit in accordance with the present disclosure, it is to be understood that the entire assembly and system may be provided in a kit (as noted in  FIG. 4 ); and 
           [0032]      FIG. 16  is an enlarged view of the indicated area of  FIG. 15 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0033]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. The word ‘couple’ and similar terms do not necessarily denote direct and immediate connections, but also include connections through intermediate elements or devices. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional (up/down, etc.) or motional (forward/back, etc.) terms may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope in any manner. It will also be understood that other embodiments may be utilized without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, and that the detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and that elements may be differently positioned, or otherwise noted as in the appended claims without requirements of the written description being required thereto. 
         [0034]    Broadly, an embodiment of the present disclosure provides an exercise apparatus. The exercise apparatus may include a pair of handle or gripping bars, a biasing member, a housing, a spring surrounded by rubber and a handle element. The housing may have a box-like shape defining a pair of aligned holes so as to slidably receive the handle element. The handle element may be connected to the handle bars by the spring surrounded by rubber that slidably receives both. The spring surrounded by rubber may form an enclosure operably housing the biasing member so that the spring sleeve acts as a hinge for the connected handle bars that the biasing member biased in an aligned position thereto. The biasing member may be adapted to provide flexural resistance when torque and/or bending is applied to the connected handle bars over a range of movement for the handle bars of at least 180 degrees. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-7 , an exercise apparatus  100  may include a pair of handles  10 , a foot rest  20 , and a door or frame  30  having a door height H 1 . It will be understood that where the system is used with a door  30 , that the door  30  will be mounted in a door frame with hinges and having a rotational movement (not shown). A support housing  16  may be secured or coupled to the door or frame  30  at a height H 2  suitable for a user&#39;s waist location (see  FIG. 2 ). The housing  16  may include a cushioned back rest  40  against which a lower end or portion of a person&#39;s back B may rest, and the pair of handles  10  may be configured to rest upon a person&#39;s shoulders S. Additionally, housing  16  may also contain an electronic device for user convenience (discussed but not shown) such as an operative radio (music) or operative counting system (to count exercise movements). 
         [0036]    A first handle element or an upper tube  28   a  may be operably coupled to the pair of handles  10 . It will also be recognized that the pair of handles  10  may be replaced by a pair of flexible strap or web-members (noted here but not shown) allowing a user to use flexible hand-grips to connect to the upper tube  28   a  for ease of gripping. Where such flexible strap or web-members are used they would also include a handle or gripping member at the end for ease of use. As shown, the pair of handles  10  may be operably coupled to the upper tube  28   a,  which may be generally straight and may have a length substantially corresponding to the length of the person&#39;s back B. A second handle element or a lower tube  28   b  may be secured to the housing  16  at one or more positions such that the height of the lower tube  28   b  relative to the frame  30  may be adjusted. 
         [0037]    A biasing assembly  11  may include upper and lower tubes  28   a,    28   b  and a bendable section  13  that may be disposed between the upper and lower tubes  28   a,    28   b  together and may couple the upper and lower tubes  28   a,    28   b.  The upper and lower tubes  28   a,    28   b  and the bendable section  13  may be substantially co-linear. In use, a user may position himself with the handles  10  on his shoulders and his back generally aligned with the upper tube  28   a.  The user may contract his stomach muscles to cause this back to rotate along directional arrow A which causes a corresponding bending of the bendable section  13 . As a noted benefit hereof, there is no need to pressure the lower back by resting on a ‘floor’ to conduct a ‘sit-up’ motion which can be painful for some people and can be difficult to transition between floor-sitting and standing for those who are injured in their limbs or back area. 
         [0038]    The bendable section  13  (shown best in  FIG. 7 ) may be configured to add a resistive force in a direction opposite that of directional arrow A such that the abdominal muscles are exercised. In particular, the bendable section  13  provides flexural resistance when torque and/or bending is applied to the handle bars  10  over a range of movement for the handle bars  10  of, for example, at least 180 degrees. The bendable section  13  may include a spring element  14  that is surrounded by a flexible tube  26  that may be repeatedly bent without fracturing. For example, the flexible tube  26  may be formed from rubber, nylon, leather, various plasticized materials and the like. 
         [0039]    An adjustable assembly  50  (see  FIG. 4 ) may include an adjustable spring  12  (discussed below), an adjustable element  18 , foot rest  20 , a first mount  22 , and a mounting post  24 . The foot rest  20  may be coupled to the adjustment element  18 . The foot rest  20  may include a receptacle  21  for slidably and optionally lockingly receiving the adjustment element  18  in a series of pin holes or pin openings  18   a  as will be discussed. Two opposing side walls of the receptacle  21  may include at least one pin opening  21   a  to securely connect to element  18  during assembly of the kit. The adjustment element  18  may include a spring for urging the separate sections of mounting post  24  relative to adjustable element  18  and proximate to a plurality spaced pin openings  18   a  so as to be adjustably secured within the receptacle  21 , for example, by engaging a pin or the like, through the spaced pin openings  18   a,    21   a  on both the opposing side walls and the adjustment element  18 . 
         [0040]    The adjustment element  18  may be interconnected to the mounting post  24  by the adjustable spring  12 . The adjustable spring  12  may be configured to expand and contract so that the foot rest  20  may ergonomically lower to a supporting surface when a user steps thereon, and so that the foot rest  20  conveniently raises upwardly off the supporting surface (e.g., floor), on which the foot rest is resting, when the user dismounts so that the frame  30  may move without the foot rest  20  frictionally engaging the supporting surface. Where the frame  30  is secured to a supporting wall  34  ( FIG. 6 ) that is for example, a door, the foot rest  20  being raised upwardly in a direction toward the door  30  or frame  30  and away from the supporting surface (e.g., floor) is particularly convenient and useful. This upward movement is noted in  FIG. 5  as arrow K (for example, an upward lift of about 1.0-2.5 centimeters (about 0.5-1.0 inches) for floor clearance). Additionally, as noted in  FIG. 5 , pivot hinge portion  100  is noted in optional rotational curve R. 
         [0041]    Additionally, as ill be noted in  FIG. 4 , there is an optional pivot hinge portion  100 A (see  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 ), proximate foot rest  20  and receptacle  21  to allow storage rotation of foot rest  20  along rotational direction curve R to allow for additional opening and swing clearance for door or frame  30 . Upon rotational along curve R, door  30  or frame  30  may have additional swing clearance 
         [0042]    The mounting post  24  may be coupled to the adjustment element  18  so that the adjustable assembly  50  may be longitudinally extended or retracted along the adjustable spring  12 . The mounting post  24  may be connected to the first mount  22 . The first mount  22  may be configured to be releasably secured to the frame  30 . The frame  30  may include a door, window, wall or any other vertical support. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the housing  16  may be joined to at least one optional mounting bracket  32 , which is may be directly secured to and/or lies flush against the supporting wall  34  (e.g., a door frame). It will be understood that mounting brackets  32  may be optionally positioned at all four corners (as shown) or may be selectively positioned on one or more corners (for stability in a particular direction) or may be removed and not used at all (optional use). When used, mounting bracket(s)  32  contain friction portions (e.g., silicon pads) and optional attachment holes (e.g., screw holes) for fixabily securing the system  100  to the door  30  or frame  30 . 
         [0043]    A method of using the exercise apparatus  100  may include detachably mounting the first mount  22  to the top of the frame  30  so that the foot rest  20  is generally parallel and adjacent to the supporting surface such as the ground or floor, etc. The user may step onto the foot rest  20  with his lower back flush against the back rest  40 . The user may grasp the pair of handle bars  10  with at least one hand to perform various abdominal exercises, for improving muscle tone or for physical therapy, while in a standing-position. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 8-10 , during use, the handle bars  10  may be moved in a variety of direction. For example, a user may perform a crunch by pulling the handle bars  10  in direction A. The user may alternatively focus on lateral muscles by pulling the handle bars  10  in a sideways motion along bi-directional arrow B. Alternatively, the user may move in a twisting motion as indicated by bi-directional arrow C. 
         [0045]    Alternative embodiments of bending mechanisms are described with reference to  FIGS. 12-16  which may be understood as being an adaptive assembly that may be provided as a separate kit system, or integrated into the entire device and system  100 . 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIGS. 11-12 , a bending mechanism  11  B may be substantially similar to the bending mechanism  11  adapted in that the bending mechanism  11 B and may adaptively include a plurality (e.g., two or three or more) intertwined springs  14   a ,  14   b  (only two are shown for drawing convenience but more are to be understood) such that the resistive force of the bending mechanism  11 B may be increased, decreased or otherwise modified along a length of longer spring  14   a  relative to a bending motion. The handle element  28  may be separated from the flexible tube  26  such that the number of springs within the tube  26  may be adjusted as desired to vary the resistive force. As will be understood, each spring member  14 ,  14   b,    14   a,  and otherwise, has a bending (relative to a long axis) spring constant and a compressive spring constant (upon compression) which is a function of the gauge (thickness) of the spring wire, the tightness of the coil (diameter), and the tempering and metallurgical properties of the spring. Since each user may require a different resistive force for exercise, adjustment and adaptation is a substantial benefit. 
         [0047]    For example, as will be later discussed, a first spring  14   a  may have a first length but lower spring constant than a second spring  14   b  which may have a shorter length and a higher spring constant. Such an intertwined assembly (see  FIG. 11 ) would allow for greater initial-motion bending on either side of sleeve  26 , but a more difficult central bending in the location of the second spring  14   b.  In this manner a wide variety of adaptive resistance rates, and curves, may be provided to a user for an enhanced use-benefit. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIGS. 13-14 , a bending mechanism  11 C may be substantially similar to the bending mechanism  11  except that the bending mechanism  11 C but may adaptively and alternatively may include an inner flexible sleeve member  27  that may be formed from a similar material as the flexible tube  26  as a sort of elastomeric insert. The sleeve  27  may be tubular or may be cylindrical and is shaped to fit within the spring members ( 14 ,  14   a,    14   b,  etc.). Spring  14  may be disposed around the sleeve member  27 . The sleeve  27  may ensure provide added flexural resistance to the bending mechanism  11 C, and may also facilitate a predictable bending the spring  14  and may ensure that the spring retains its diameter during bending. It will be understood, that as one adaptive version of the present invention, that flexible sleeve member  27  may be separately provided as a kit element, for example in a series of similarly-sized but differently-flexible members that may be interchanged and assembled by a user selection from a plurality of alternatives. (See  FIG. 14  for example of one version where the sleeve  27  shown is assembled for a particular use.) 
         [0049]    A kit as shown in  FIG. 15  may include the exercise apparatus  100  and may further include a stand  60 , which may be coupled or secured to the housing  16 , for retaining one or more bending mechanisms, e.g., bending mechanisms  11 ,  11 B,  11 C and  11 D. Also as shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , a bending mechanism  11 D may be separable from the handle bars  10 . For example, handle bars  10  may include a mounting section  2  including a hole  3  in which a spring loaded pin  4  of the upper tube  28   a  may releasably engage the hole  3 . In particular, the pin  4  is biased toward engages the hole  3  and can be depressed when disengaging the handles  10  from the upper tube  28   a  such that a different biasing member  11 D that may have a different flexural resistance may be selected depending upon the strength of the user and the particular abdominal exercise being performed. 
         [0050]    It will be further understood that as an alternative assembly, a kit may adaptively include a variety of alternative spring members ( 14 ,  14   a,    14   b,  etc.) or alternative sleeve members  27  (e.g., multiple sleeve members) or optional assembly members  60  as otherwise discussed herein. Such alternatives may be differently assembled in differing kits without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention as will be understood by those of skill in the art. 
         [0051]    Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skills that the disclosure is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various modifications and variations can be made in the presently disclosed system without departing from the scope or spirit of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.