Abstract:
An exercise mat, comprising at least one non-padded portion sufficiently thin to provide excellent support and balance for standing exercises; and at least one padded portion sufficiently thick to provide excellent comfort for non-standing exercises. The non-padded portion has a thickness of no more than about ⅛ inch, and the padded portion has a thickness of no less than about ⅝ inch. The exercise mat preferably comprises a plurality of non-padded portions and a plurality of padded portions. The exercise mat is especially suitable for performance of a wide variety of standing and non-standing yoga postures.

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER APPLICATIONS AND PATENTS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority from pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application, Ser. No. 61/954,490, filed Mar. 17, 2014. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to support mats for performing yoga exercises; more particularly, to such mats for performing yoga exercises in both standing and non-standing postures; and most particularly, to a mat for performing yoga exercises when some mat areas are padded to support a user&#39;s extremities, head, and buttocks in non-standing postures and other areas are relatively thin to provide good support for a user&#39;s feet and concomitant balance in standing postures. 
         [0003]    As used herein, the terms “exercise”, “posture”, “pose”, and “position” are interchangeable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Prior art yoga mats are fabricated mats used as an aid during the practice of yoga or other exercises to support a user against a hard floor and help prevent hands and feet from slipping. Conventional yoga mats have a sleek design with substantially constant thickness. However, standard yoga mats do not provide enough comfort or cushion for injured or tender joints and body parts in a user&#39;s performance of non-standing postures, nor do they enhance the performance of standing and balance postures. Ultra padded mats, such as Pilates mats, provide greater cushioning but are too thick and spongy to provide desirable stability and balance for typical yoga postures, especially standing postures. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,574,101, issued Mar. 4, 1996 to Tricca et al., discloses an exercise mat consisting of laminated outer and core layers of closed-cell plastic foam having different selected densities. A relatively thick central layer is so configured that air chambers are formed bounded by it and one or both of the outer layers. These chambers may be constituted of air cylinders passing vertically through the central layer or of horizontal slots formed on a surface or surfaces of the central layer. The air chambers can be of any suitable predetermined size and spacing. The mat may be configured to permit folding by maintaining one of the outer layers continuous to form a hinge at a point or points where the core layer and other outer layers are discontinuous. 
         [0006]    Such a mat is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and is intended for acrobatic, dynamic exercises but is too thick to allow the delicate balance required for many standing, static yoga poses. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,381 B2, issued Dec. 17, 2013 to Woods et al., discloses an improved yoga or exercise mat shape that allows instructors and students to see each other in all yoga poses without re-positioning of mats. The mat shape also ensures that the participants maintain all body parts on the mat during all poses. The mat is further provided as a one-piece configuration to allow an easy and hassle-free set up and use experience. 
         [0008]    Such a mat does not distinguish between areas intended for sitting poses and areas intended for standing poses. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,765,253 B1, issued Jul. 1, 2014 to Smaldone et al., discloses an exercise mat comprising a knit spacer fabric having a first ground fabric spaced apart from a second ground fabric in an uncompressed state. The exercise mat can be configured to be rolled up and compressed for storage and to expand into a planar spaced apart arrangement between the first and second ground fabrics for use. The knit spacer fabric can be formed from a plurality of knit polymeric threads and can include a first wall fabric extending between the first ground fabric and the second ground fabric. The first wall fabric can support the first ground fabric and the second ground fabric in a compressible spaced-apart configuration. The spacer fabric can include a traction-enhancing coating at an outer surface. 
         [0010]    Again, such a mat is of substantially uniform thickness throughout and is too thick to allow the delicate balance required for many standing, static yoga postures. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. D701,062 S, issued Mar. 18, 2014 to Kinsella discloses a design for an exercise mat. 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. D710,129 S, issued Aug. 5, 2014 to Armitage discloses a design for an exercise mat. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,220,087 B2, issued Jul. 17, 2012 to Villa et al., which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses an elongate exercise mat, typically rectangular, comprising a plurality of padded supports spaced apart and strategically positioned on the mat to support specific body parts such as an exerciser&#39;s hands, wrists, elbows, and knees. Such supports are especially useful for cushioning injured or otherwise tender body parts. Suitable cushioning material includes foam, rubber, gel, and any other material that can absorb shock. 
         [0014]    The disclosure discusses the construction and layout of the padded areas of such an exercise mat and their use in cushioning vulnerable body parts of a user performing non-standing positions. The disclosure is notably silent, however, as to desirable structure, characteristics, and use of those non-padded areas of a mat used for standing postures in stability and balance. 
         [0015]    What is needed in the art is a yoga mat that is constructed to provide excellent support conditions to a yogi for both non-standing and standing postures. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Briefly described, an exercise mat in accordance with the present invention comprises a flexible mat having a first end, a second end, and a central portion, for providing a user with areas of the mat useful for both stability and balance in standing exercises, and for cushioning in non-standing exercises, especially for yoga postures as described below. The exercise mat, also referred to herein interchangeably as a yoga mat, includes at least one non-padded portion and at least one padded portion. It has been found that the non-padded portions beneficially should be relatively thin in comparison to prior art mats and substantially non-compressible; generally the thinner the better, preferably less than or up to about ⅛″ in thickness, and may comprise the basic material of the mat. Desirably, the non-padded portions may convey to the user the feeling of standing directly on the floor under the mat. The padded portion may be permanently or removably attached to the mat. The unpadded portions may be configured to provide enhanced stability and balance to a user in performing various known standing postures, while the plurality of padded portions may be configured to provide cushioning to the user in various known non-standing postures. In a currently preferred embodiment, a first padded portion is positioned at the central region of the mat generally equidistant from the first and second ends, and a second padded portion is positioned proximate to at least one, and preferably both, of the first end and the second end of the mat. An under surface and/or upper surface of the mat may be formed of or treated with an anti-slip material in known fashion to avoid slippage of the mat on a floor or slippage of a yogi on the mat during poses, especially standing poses. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of an exemplary first embodiment of a yoga mat in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , taken along line  2 - 2 ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a detailed view taken at Circle  3  in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate currently preferred embodiments of the invention, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the invention are described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth, and that the invention can be adapted for any of several applications. 
         [0023]    The device of the present disclosure may be used to provide both stability and cushioning during the practice of standing or non-standing yoga postures or many other athletic activities. 
         [0024]    As shown  FIGS. 1 through 3 , an exemplary exercise yoga mat in accordance with the present invention comprises a mat  10  having at least one non-padded portion  12  and at least one padded portion  14 . Mat  10  may be a permanently assembled, wherein padded portions  14  are built into or onto non-padded portions  12 . Alternatively, padded portions  14  may be attached removably to areas on a surface of non-padded portion  12 . For example, non-padded portion  12  may include pockets (not shown) into which padded portions  14  may fit, allowing mat  10  to be used as a non-padded standard yoga mat or as a mat with padded portions  14 . Similarly, padded portions  14  may be attached to non-padded portion using any suitable fastener, such as hook and loop fastener, snaps, buttons, and clips (not shown). 
         [0025]    Alternatively, padded portions  14  may be permanently attached to non-padded portion  12  using any conventional fastening technique, such as sewing or using an adhesive. 
         [0026]    Embodiments of mat  10  may include a single padded portion, two padded portions, three padded portions, or more. As shown in  FIG. 1 , embodiments of mat  10  may include a non-padded portion  12 , which may be a relatively thin standard yoga mat, having a plurality of shaped padded portions  14  attached to a surface of non-padded portion  12 , such as at either end of non-padded portion  12  and along a center of non-padded portion  12  and perpendicular to a length of non-padded portion  12 . However, as envisioned by the present invention, alternative embodiments of mat  10  may include padded portions  14  positioned in different areas. 
         [0027]    Non-padded portions  12  and padded portions  14  may have various shapes, thicknesses, and positions within the scope of the present invention. For example, padded portions  14  may have a shape and position that allow a user to perform typical non-standing yoga postures without needing to change or alter the user&#39;s normal yoga practice. Further, padded portions  14  may be positioned so as not to interfere with yoga postures performed by a standing user, but rather in postures that allow for extra cushioning when the yoga practice requires the user to put pressure on particular areas of the body, such as the knees, wrists, elbows, ankles, head, and tail bone. Also, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the padded portions located at the ends of the non-padded portion may be symmetrical so as not to interrupt the flow of the yoga practice. 
         [0028]    The basic structure of mat  10  may be identical with non-padded portions  12  and may underlie padded portions  14 . 
         [0029]    Mat  10  may have any size and shape desired by a user. For example, in some embodiments, mat  10  may be similarly sized to a conventional yoga mat and, thus, be substantially rectangular in shape, preferably with rounded corners, and may have dimensions of about 75 inches long and about 26 inches wide. However, the length and width of the mat may be scaled up or down as desired by a user. Dimensions of an exemplary mat  10  in accordance with the present invention are shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0030]    Non-padded portion  12  may be made of any material that is thin enough to provide stability and a non-slip surface. Suitable materials for non-padded portion  12  include but are not limited to polyvinyl chloride (PVC), rubber, jute, bamboo, TPE, and any other material conventionally used to produce yoga mats. Non-padded portion  12  has a suitable thickness that allows for stability of the student, and preferably has a maximum thickness of about ⅛ inch. 
         [0031]    Padded portion  14  may be formed of any material suitable for providing extra cushioning to a user and, in some embodiments, may be similar to a conventional Pilates mat. Suitable materials for padded portion  14  include but are not limited to PVC, foam, rubber, jute, bamboo, NBR, high density 
         [0032]    NBR, or any other material conventionally used to produce padded mats, such as known Pilates mats. Padded portion  14  has a suitable thickness that provides extra cushioning to a user and preferably has a thickness of at least about ⅝ inch in addition to the thickness of any underlying non-padded mat structure. 
         [0033]    It is an important novel feature of the present invention that distinguishes it over the prior art that non-padded portions  12  of the mat are thin enough to provide good footing and stability for performance of standing and balance postures, preferably about ⅛ inch or less in thickness; and that padded portions  14  of the mat are thick enough to provide comfort cushioning for performance of non-standing postures, preferably at least about ⅝ inch in thickness. 
         [0034]    Embodiments of a mat in accordance with the present invention may also include additional, optional features, such as a strap for carrying the mat. 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, the mat will be used similarly to a conventional yoga mat, but may remove the need for a user to continually incorporate an additional, external mat or pad during the practice of yoga. Also, the mat may be capable of being rolled up or folded, similar to a conventional yoga mat, for storage and transporting purposes. The mat may also be used in a number of other athletic activities, such as Pilates or martial arts. 
         [0036]    A mat in accordance with the present invention is especially suitable for performing the following standing and balancing yoga postures:
       a) Extended Side Angle (also Revolved)—Utthita Parsvakonasana and Parivrtta Utthita Parsvakonasana   b) Triangle (also Revolved)—Utthita Trikonasana and Parivrtta Trikonasana   c) Warrior 1, 2, and 3—Virabhdrasana 1, 2, and 3   d) Crescent Lunge—Alanasana   e) Chair—Utkatasana   f) Standing Intense Spread Leg Pose—Prasarita Padottanasana   g) Pyramid Pose—Parsvottanasana   h) Standing Forward Bend—Uttanasana   i) Eagle—Garudasana   j) Tree—Vrksasana   k) Half Moon Pose (also Revolved)—Ardha Chandrasana and Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana   l) Standing Extended Leg Stretch (sometimes called Standing Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose)—Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana       
 
         [0049]    A mat in accordance with the present invention is especially suitable for performing the following non-standing yoga postures:
       a) Beam—Parighasana (to protect the knee)   b) Boat—Navasana (to protect the tail bone)   c) Bow—Dhahurasana (to protect the hip bones)   d) Camel—Ustrasana (to protect the knees)   e) Cat Cow—(to protect the knees and wrists)   f) Side Plank—Vasisthasana (to protect the hand and wrist and knee if it&#39;s lowered)   g) Bridge—Setu Banda Sarvangasana (to protect the wrists and head)       
 
         [0057]    While the invention has been described by reference to various specific embodiments, it should be understood that numerous changes may be made within the spirit and scope of the inventive concepts described. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the described embodiments, but will have full scope defined by the language of the following claims.