Abstract:
An elastic resistance band for use in an exercise device. The resistance band comprising a center portion having opposed ends and having a shape and comprised of a material which presents a substantial friction against air, so to create a wind resistance effect which slows down movement of the center portion when the center portion is forced to move through air, and an elastic band portion attached to each of the opposed ends of the center portion. The elastic band portions having at their free ends means for attaching the elastic resistance band to an exercise device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC 120 of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application U.S. Ser. No. 60/617,832, filed Apr. 18 2008. The entire disclosure of this patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates generally, to exercise devices and more particular to the addition of a safety device for modifying the exercise resistance elastic bands. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Exercise devices of the type having elastic resistance bands are well know, see for example the exercise bar of U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,265. One drawback of an exercise device of this type having an elastic exercise band is the potential for a snap-back effect if the band breaks or slips off of a retaining position while it is stretched, which snap-back effect can cause the band  10  to hit the user or people nearby, thereby causing a severe bodily injury, as well as property damage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The new fail-safe design for the exercise band greatly lowers the risk of snap back or recoil injury to a user of an exercise device which includes an elastic exercise resistance band. In the present invention, an element is added to the band upon which element a resistance effect of wind or air can act, so as to form a type of parachute or air brake which will slow or stop the snap back effect of the resistance band in the event of a failure or unwanted release of the band from a mount. 
     The new design for the exercise band also allows for a better/more secure and comfortable stance when the band is held in place by the user&#39;s feet or foot, or for a more secure mounting position when the band is held in place by a mount, such as a door mount. More specifically, the new element added to the improved resistance band increases the surface area of the center portion of the band, which new element has a texture much different than a conventional resistance band, and which surface area has a texture which greatly increases a frictional characteristic of the center section of the improved resistance band, as compared with the prior art. 
     Furthermore, the new design for the exercise resistance band eliminates the need for a separate component to mount the exercise band to a door and also the method by which the design for the exercise band does mount to a door greatly lowers the risk of band snap. Additionally, the mounting techniques possible with the new design, greatly reduces the possibility of the mounting to mar the mounting surface, such as a door frame, as commonly occurs with door mounts for the currently used resistance band exercise devices. 
     Even further, due to the shorter lengths needed for the resistance portion of the exercise band, the potential for snap back injury due slippage or failure of any portion of the band, is inherently reduced. 
     Because of the reduced potential for injury provided by the improved design, users of exercise devices having a resistance band of this new type, in general will feel more confident to use exercise devices, and thus help ensure the completion of regularly scheduled exercise, 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments and details of the invention, and, together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the features of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exercise resistance band constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and alternative attachment devices; 
         FIGS. 2 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  illustrate the exercise resistance band of  FIG. 1  connected to a bar-type user gripping device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates the exercise resistance band of  FIG. 1  connected to individual handle-type user gripping devices. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates the inventive resistance band exercise device  2 . The resistance band exercise device  2  includes a portion  4  in the center which may be referred to as a safety net or Para-mount section. It is the device portion  4  that provides the wind resistance which will substantially reduce or eliminate the snap back effect in the event of a mount or placement failure causing an unwanted release of the center portion of the band  2 . This device portion  4  can be made of a netting type of nylon material (as shown by element  4 ′), or may comprise an air impervious material  4 , such as used in parachutes, and have a shape of approx 30″ in length and 6″-12″ in width so as to catch the air in the event the band snaps back. The device portion  4  is gathered at its opposing ends so as to form an overall cupped or parachute type of shape for the center section of the band  2 , and the ends are securely attached to approximately 18″ to. 24″ inches of elastic band material  6   a  and  6   b . Small clips or fastners  8   a  and  8   b  are secured at each of the remote ends of the bands  6   a  and  6   b , respectively, for attaching the improved band  2  to any type of exercise equipment which uses a resistance band. For example, typically, such a resistance band is attached to an exercise bar  10  or handles  12   a  and  12   b  ( FIGS. 2 and 4  show an embodiment of the invention where the inventive band  2  is used with an exercise bar  10 , and FIG.  3  shows an embodiment of the invention where the inventive band  2  is used with handles  12   a  and  12   b , respectively.) 
     Typically, the elastic band material  6   a  and  6   b  are formed of surgical tubing or other elastic, resistive material, such as “Thera-Bands”®. The band material is conventionally attached to a plastic clip or fastener, such as shown in  FIG. 1 , as well known by those of ordinary skill in this art. The opposite ends of the bands can be attached to the device portion  4  at a mounting hole/area formed at the opposite ends of device portion  4 , by means of a loop knot attachment, as well known by those of ordinary skill in this art. 
     Additionally, in a further alternative embodiment of the invention device portion  4  includes a strip of flexible material  14  sewn or otherwise affixed to the center portion of device portion  4 , which material aids in the mounting of the device portion  4  to a mounting device, such as a door, as will be described in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 6 . 
     Referring again back to  FIG. 1 , in that event that during the tension phase of the resistance band exercise device  2 , the elastic bands  6   a  or  6   b , or one of their mountings were to suffer a failure, the cupped or parachute shape of the device center portion  4  is designed so that the wind caused by the sudden release of the band, would cause the device center portion  4  to “bellow out” or stated another way, to “deploy” so that the wind caught by the device center portion  4  would greatly slow down the movement of the band, thereby greatly reducing or substantially eliminating the snap back effect. This effect is also proved with different materials being used for the device center portion  4 , such as the parachute or netting material shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , the present inventive resistance band exercise device  2  also allows for safe mounting and dismounting of an exercise device  2 , for example under the feet or a foot of the user, by the fact that the center portion  4  creates a larger mounting area than if just the elastic band  6   a  or  6   b  itself were to be used to do the mounting. The safety increase results from the increased area of center portion  4  as well as the material from which it is constructed, as compared with the elastic material of the remainder of the band  2 . More specifically, when center portion  4  is made of a mesh or even parachute material, the increased area of the material of center portion  4  provides for much more frictional contact between the center portion  4  and the underside of the user&#39;s feet, thereby making an unwanted release of the mounting extremely unlikely. Additionally, because the center portion  4  is substantially flat, as compared with the hard round structure of the resistance/elastic band surgical tubing, even if the user were to use the improved exercise device while being “barefoot” there would be no discomfort to the bottom of the user&#39;s foot, which the user would have suffered if they were using the prior art device due to standing on the hard round elastic tubing, since with the present invention, the user will have the soft/flat center portion  4  under his/her foot. 
     Furthermore, there would be no tendency for the elastic band material (such as surgical tubing) to “roll-out” from under the user&#39;s foot and cause an unwanted release, because the center portion  4  will lay flat under the user&#39;s foot. And even if an unwanted release were to occur during the tension phase of the elastic band material, due to the sudden and rapid movement during a “snap-back” action, the center portion  4  will “deploy” and the wind resistance effect caused by the sudden movement will greatly slow down the movement of the elastic band material, thereby reducing or substantially eliminating the snap-back effect. 
     The same advantages of the invention apply with respect to door or frame mounted exercise resistance bands. Not only does the center portion  4  act as a safe mounting part of the exercise device, but it provides for a secure mount in a relatively fail-safe manner. As seen in  FIG. 5 , the mesh or parachute center portion  4  can simply be placed on the doorknob opposite the user to provide a door mount. Due to the increased width of the center portion  4 , as well as its texture, it is very unlikely to “slip” off of a doorknob. Even in the unlikely event of an unwanted release of the center portion  4  from the doorknob mounting, the air resistance effect against the center portion  4  of mesh or chute material will substantially slow down the snap-back of the device  2 , thereby greatly lower the risk and potential for injury to the user, a person standing nearby, and/or damage to property. Additionally, because the thickness of center portion  4  is so much less than the diameter of the conventional resistance band material (surgical tubing), the door can be even be closed so as to provide even extra safety for the mounting of the exercise device  2  to a door. 
     Additionally, when the center portion  4  is mounted to a door knob as seen in  FIG. 5 , or a door frame as seen in  FIG. 6 , it is less likely to damage or mar the door frame as seen commonly with current door mounts for such devices. In this regard, the center portion  4  of the present invention also includes center portion  14 , as an added safety measure. Portion  14  is a strip of flexible material which reinforces and thickens the center portion  4 , so that when mounted without the use of a doorknob as seen in  FIG. 6 , there is added resistance and thickness which help to avoid unwanted slippage from the doorframe. 
     In another user technique, instead of mounting the center portion  4  to a door or securing it under the user&#39;s feet, a trainer or partner standing opposite the user can grasp center portion  4  with his/her hands. In this technique, the center portion  4  provides a much more secure, comfortable (less abrasion) and allergy-free place for the trainer or partner to grab center portion  4 . Another side benefit is that the trainer&#39;s hands don&#39;t smell like rubber or surgical tubing at the end of the day. 
     Thus, the present invention provides an extremely safe exercise resistance band, which is particularly appropriate for use by personal trainers, fitness centers, children and seniors. 
     While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In fact, some such changes are already noted in this description (such as alternative materials for the center portion  4 , alternative user grips (handles vs. bar) and alternative mounting arrangements. It should be realized that the above-noted changes are not exhaustive, and merely exemplary. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. For example, center portion  4  can have different lengths and widths or be constructed of different materials (non-elastic or elastic materials, as desired), so as to have different aerodynamic properties, or improve efficacy, as desired. All such changes and modifications are considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.