Abstract:
A functional training rig kit includes a box and a plurality of components adapted to fit within the box. The components include at least two posts adapted to extend in an upright direction from the box, the posts each having a length greater than the longest dimension of the box and including at least two elongate members dimensioned to fit within the box and adapted to be removably fastened together to form one of the posts. The components also include a bar adapted to extend transversely between adjacent posts, the bar being dimensioned to fit within the box. The components further include at least one angled support member for each of the posts, each support member being adapted to fit within the box and provided with structure for securing the support member to one of the posts and with structure to engage a ground surface.

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/388,496 which was filed on Sep. 26, 2014 and is still pending. That application is an entry into the U.S. national phase of International Application Serial No. PCT/EP2013/065173 which was filed on Jul. 18, 2013. The disclosures of both of these applications are incorporated hereinto by reference in their entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to a kit for a functional training rig. 
     Functional training rigs are frameworks that allow a user to perform a range of functional training exercises, developing body strength using traditional bodyweight exercises, as well as providing a structure to support accessories such as jumping platforms, grapplers, bungee hooks, dip bars and J-pegs which facilitate integration with other gym equipment. To this end a functional training rig generally comprises a plurality of upright components each supporting a cantilever, with horizontal bars interconnecting the cantilevers. A problem with such functional training rigs is that, once assembled, they are permanent structures which occupy a significant space and are therefore not suited to use in areas which can only be assigned temporarily to fitness training for an individual or group. 
     There are many situations where an individual or group may wish to undertake exercise in an area which cannot be permanently dedicated to fitness training alone. Nevertheless, such areas are used for training, even though they cannot be properly set up for training purposes, because of the need for an individual or group to undertake exercise either as part of an essential professional capacity or as part of a personal fitness goal based on keeping fit and healthy. Such fitness training may be undertaken, for example, in the home (such as a garden, garage or spare room), a health, athletics or sports club (where areas are required for multiple purposes), military environments (such as parade grounds, helicopter decks and the like), hotel and convention meeting rooms, village halls, offices, rural fields, village greens, military bases, parks, and sports fields. Unfortunately, in these areas training is often limited in the range of exercise movements possible or training is performed in a hazardous manner due to the use of inadequate temporary structures. 
     It would be desirable to be able to provide a functional training rig which can readily be assembled and dismantled and can be conveniently stored, while being safe to use. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a functional training rig which overcomes, or at least ameliorates, the above-mentioned problem. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     According to the present invention there is provided a functional training rig kit comprising a box and a plurality of components adapted to fit within the box, the components including: at least two posts adapted to extend in an upright direction from the box, the posts each having a length greater than the longest dimension of the box and comprising at least two elongate members dimensioned to fit within the box and adapted to be removably fastened together to form one of the posts; a bar adapted to extend transversely between adjacent posts, the bar being dimensioned to fit within the box; and at least one angled support member for each of the posts, each support member being adapted to fit within the box and provided with means for securing the support member to one of the posts and with means to engage a ground surface. 
     The box may be provided with at least one further angled support member for each of the posts, each further support member being adapted to fit within the box and provided with means for securing the further support member to one of the posts and with means to engage a part of the box. One or more of the further support members may be provided with a foot, for example of L-shaped cross section, adapted to be secured to an elongate edge of the box, for example opposite to the edge at which the posts are secured. 
     The box may be provided with a lid, such as a hinged lid or a removable lid. 
     The box may be provided internally thereof with a plurality of supports for receiving the components adapted to fit within the box. 
     The box may be provided at opposite ends thereof with handles and/or with apertured members for receiving lifting means such as one or more of the elongate members. 
     The elongate members forming one of the posts may be interconnected end-to-end by means of a sleeve, such as an external sleeve and/or an internal sleeve. The or each sleeve may be secured to at least one, ideally both, of the elongate members. 
     The box may be provided with recesses, for example formed in corners of the box at opposite ends of one elongate side thereof, for receiving each of the posts. The recesses may extend substantially from a base of the box to an upper edge thereof. The recesses may be provided with an internal dowel for engaging within a respective post. Alternatively, one of the elongate members forming each of the posts may be hinged to the box. 
     The elongate members may be provided with through holes at intervals for receiving accessories for the functional training rig. Adjacent through holes may be arranged at right angles to each other. 
     One or more of the support members may be provided with a lateral ground-engaging foot. 
     The bar may be adapted to be mounted at each end thereof on a cantilever assembly adapted to fit within the box. Each cantilever assembly may comprise one or two angled arms mounted on a plate adapted to be secured to the post. Alternatively, each cantilever assembly may comprise a triangular plate mounted on the plate adapted to be secured to the post. A sleeve may be used instead of a plate, the sleeve ideally being closed at an end thereof to limit travel relative to the post. The sleeve may be provided with an internal dowel which engages within the top of the post. 
     The box may be provided with wheels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention and to show more clearly how it may be carried into effect reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of one embodiment of a functional training rig assembled from a functional training rig kit according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the functional training rig shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view of the functional training rig shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of a box forming part of the functional training rig kit shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a modified box forming part of the functional training rig; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of another embodiment of a functional training rig assembled from a functional training rig kit according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the functional training rig of  FIG. 6  without the box; 
         FIG. 8  is a modification of the functional training rig shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an upper elongate member forming part of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a closed box forming part of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the box of  FIG. 10  with an open lid; 
         FIG. 12  is a partly cut-away view of the box shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the box of  FIGS. 10 to 12  adapted for carrying; 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a frame forming part of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a view from one side of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 16  is a view from the other side of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 17  is a front view of the rig of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of part of the box on a larger scale; 
         FIG. 19  is a side view of part of a frame forming part of the rig, on a larger scale; 
         FIG. 20  shows an accessory for use with the rig of  FIG. 8 ; and 
         FIGS. 21 to 25  show arrangements involving more than one of the rigs shown in  FIG. 8 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The functional training rig and functional training rig kit shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  comprises a box  1  which may or may not be provided with a lid, such as a hinged lid or a removable lid. The box is made of a suitable material, such as steel or aluminium, and is dimensioned to fit into many normal vehicles, having a width, for example, of about 1200 mm and a depth and height of about 500 mm. Provided within the box  1  is a plurality of supports  3  which are designed to receive frame components of the functional training rig. The supports  3  are secured within the box  1 , for example by welding. The box is provided with handles  5  at each end thereof. 
     The frame components of the functional training rig may also be made of steel or aluminium and are ideally primarily of square hollow section. The frame components will be described in more detail hereinafter. 
     The frame components and the box  1  combine to form a functional training rig kit which can readily be assembled and dismantled, with frame components being stored within the box when not in use and the box  1  forming part of, and contributing to the stability of, the rig when assembled. 
     The frame components include two upright posts  7  which are formed by a plurality (two as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 ) of elongate members  9  which are interconnected end-to-end by means of an external sleeve  11  or other means of interconnecting the elongate members (such as an internal connector) which is secured to each of the elongate members. The elongate members  9  are dimensioned to fit within the box  1 , whereas the upright posts, at nearly 2400 mm, are too long to fit within the box. The resulting posts  7  are inserted into complementary recesses  13  formed in corners of the box at opposite ends of one elongate side thereof, the recesses ideally extending substantially from the base of the box to the upper edge thereof. Alternatively, one of the elongate members  9  forming each of the posts  7  may be hinged to the box  1 . Thus, the box  1  contributes to the stability of the upright posts  7 . The elongate members  9 , and therefore the posts  7 , may be provided with through holes  15  at intervals for receiving accessories for the functional training rig to facilitate particular exercises. Adjacent through holes  15  may be arranged at right angles to each other, as illustrated, although other arrangements are also possible. As a further alternative, the through holes may be omitted. 
     Each upright post is further stabilised by means of two angled support members which extend in opposing directions from the posts at a downward angle so as to engage with the ground and/or with the box  1 . The support members are dimensioned to fit within the box when not in use. As illustrated, one of the support members engages with the box  1  at its lower end, but alternatively the support member may engage with the ground. Thus, in  FIGS. 1 to 4  a support member  17  extends at a downward angle from each of the upright posts  7  to contact the ground. At its upper end, the support member  17  is provided with an upright plate  19  which enables the support member to be removably secured to the upright post  7 , for example by means of threaded fasteners, and at its lower end the support member is provided with a lateral ground-engaging foot  21 . In addition, a support member  23  for each of the upright posts  7  is provided at its upper end with an upright plate  25  which enables the support member to be removably secured to the upright post  7 , for example by threaded fasteners, and at its lower end the support member is provided with a foot  27 , for example of L-shaped cross section, which is removably secured to an elongate edge of the box  1  opposite to the edge at which the upright posts  7  are secured. The foot  27  is therefore able to engage both an upper surface and a side surface of the box  1 , although other arrangements are possible. The foot  27  may be secured to the box  1  by means of suitable fasteners, such as threaded fasteners. Alternatively, the support member  23  may extend to the ground and may be provided with a lateral ground-engaging foot in a similar manner to support member  17 . 
     The upper ends of the upright posts  7  are removably secured together by means of a lateral bar  29 , for example of circular cross-section, which is mounted at each end thereof on a cantilever assembly  31 . The lateral bar and the cantilever assemblies are dimensioned to fit within the box when not in use. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , each cantilever assembly  31  comprises two angled arms  33 ,  35  which are mounted on an upright plate  37  which is removably secured to the upright posts  7 , for example by way of threaded fasteners. As can be seen from  FIG. 2 , one of the arms  33 ,  35  is longer than the other arm so as to form a triangular assembly with the free ends of the arms  33 ,  35  secured together at lateral bar  29 . In the illustrated arrangement the lateral bar is at a higher level than the top of the posts  7 , but other arrangements are possible. It should be noted the cantilever assembly can take other forms, such as a triangular plate replacing the two arms  33 ,  35 . 
     The functional training rig and functional training rig kit shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7  is a modification of that shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4  and the same references are used to denote the same or similar features. Features from this second embodiment may be exchanged with features from the first embodiment and vice versa. The box  1  is provided with a hinged lid  2  which is formed with cutouts in the free corners to accommodate the upright posts  7  and with supports  3  to receive frame components of the functional training rig. The box  1  is provided with handles  5  at each end thereof and with an apertured member  6  secured externally to corners of the box, for example at a level beneath the handles  5 . The apertured members  6  are dimensioned to receive the elongate members  9  to allow a number of people, for example four, to lift the box by way of the elongate members. 
     The elongate members  9  forming the upright posts  7  are interconnected end-to-end by means of an internal sleeve (not shown) in combination with external plates  10  which are secured to opposing faces of the elongate members bridging the joint between adjoining elongate members, for example by threaded fastenings. In contrast to the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the elongate members  9  are not provided with through holes for receiving accessories. 
     The support members  17  and  23  are formed with sleeves  19  rather than with upright plates for securing to the upright posts  7 . 
     The lateral bar  29  is mounted at each end thereof on a cantilever assembly  31 . The cantilever assembly comprises an angled arm attached to a sleeve which engages over the top of the upright post  7 , the upper end of the sleeve being closed to limit travel relative to the upright post. 
     The functional training rig shown in  FIGS. 8 to 20  is similar to those shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 and 5  and the same references are used to denote the same or similar parts. The functional training rig of  FIG. 8  differs in a number of respects. For example, the support member  23  is omitted. A plate  113  supports the ends of the handle  5  is combined with aperture member  6  to strengthen the aperture member. An additional handle-supporting plate is positioned substantially mid-way along the handle  5  and bearer lugs  116  and locking pins  114  are provided on the additional handle-supporting plate for receiving and securing the elongate members  9  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Thus, to improve safety, the elongate members  9  are locked in place when the rig is being carried. The lid  2  is no longer a substantially planar plate, but now is formed with a lip which extends around the three sides of the lid other than the side at which it is hinged. This assists in minimising water penetration into the box. As shown in  FIG. 18 , two slotted holes may be formed in the lip, for example along one of the sides of the box, and corresponding holes may be formed in the wall of the box to accept a (long shank) padlock or other securing device. This provides security for the items stored in the box when the rig is being transported or is in storage and, when the rig is in use, prevents the lid being opened so improving safety, especially where the holes are at a side of the box as illustrated. Further, the outer surface of the lid may be profiled (such as Durbar plate) to provide a more secure footing during use. In addition, water drainage holes  112  ( FIG. 10 ) are provided in the region of the bottom corners of the rear of the box to allow for water drainage and/or ventilation. 
     Wheels  103  have been added to one end of the box  1  to facilitate moving of the rig without the need for it to be carried. 
     As shown in particular in  FIG. 19  the cantilever assembly  31  is mounted on the upright post  7  by way of an external sleeve which is closed at one end. In addition to this arrangement, which is the same as that shown and described in relation to  FIGS. 1 to 7 , the external sleeve is also provided with a locator in the form of an internal dowel which engages within the top of the upright post  7  to improve the stability of the rig. Although not shown in the drawings, a corresponding internal dowel may be provided at the base of the recesses  13  for receiving and locating the lower end of the upright post  7 . 
     The various components may be numbered where they interconnect in order to facilitate assembly of the rig (for example by following instructions referring to the numbers). This applies in particular to the elongate members  9 , support member  17  and cantilever assembly  31 . 
       FIGS. 15 and 20  show an accessory  117  to be mounted to the upright posts  7  to increase the range of exercises that can be performed. As illustrated, the accessory is in the form of a safety squat arm to support weights. As shown the safety squat arms are left- and right-handed to minimise the risk of disengagement from the upright posts  7  when in use. The accessories, where provided, are dimensioned to fit within the box when the rig is not in use. 
       FIGS. 21 to 25  show arrangements involving more than one of the rigs shown in  FIG. 8 . 
       FIG. 21  shows two rigs positioned back to back with the cantilever assemblies both extending outwardly. An external sleeve  104  slides through the adjacent handle plates  113  at each end of each of the two boxes and over the respective bearer lug  116  shown in  FIG. 8  of each of the boxes, with the locking pins  114  (see  FIG. 18 ) securing the external sleeve to each of the boxes by way of openings provided in the end regions of the external sleeve. In this way the two boxes are secured together at each end and the two rigs are secured together. The external sleeves are dimensioned to fit within the boxes when not in use. 
     As shown in  FIG. 22 , two (or more) rigs may be placed in an end-to-end series with spaces between adjacent boxes. The boxes may face in the same direction or they may face in different directions. Adjacent boxes are joined together by means of a lateral bar  29  secured to the cantilever assembly  31 . As shown, the lateral bar may be secured to the cantilever assembly by way of a hand wheel provided with a threaded member. It will be noted that  FIG. 8  shows a hole  108  through the cantilever assembly  31  for mounting the additional lateral bar  29 . The additional lateral bar may be dimensioned to fit within the boxes. 
       FIG. 23  shows a combination of back-to-back and end-to-end boxes. 
       FIG. 24  shows two back-to-back boxes with a set of monkey bars secured to the tops of the four upright posts  7 . The monkey bars may be mounted by way of a cantilever assembly to lengthen the monkey bars and to provide a chip-up point at each end. 
       FIG. 25  corresponds to  FIG. 23  but with the addition of a monkey bar assembly as shown in  FIG. 24 .