Patent Publication Number: US-7901328-B1

Title: Gymnastic trainer assembly

Description:
This application claims priority to our provisional patent application filed Jun. 23, 2009, No. 61/219,499. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is related to training equipment for gymnastic tumbling and vaulting. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Gymnastics, cheerleading and other sports involve tumbling and vaulting. Participants must be taught to perform forward and backward handsprings, forward and backward walkovers, and vaults over obstacles. 
     Teaching students to perform tumbling and vaulting routines requires coaching and use of specialized, single-function training equipment. In order to master gymnastic routines, the students repeatedly perform the routines using the training equipment with assistance of a coach. 
     Conventional tumbling equipment includes a trainer that rotates along a gymnasium floor. The student jumps against the trainer to rotate the trainer and use its rotary motion to assist in performing a tumbling routine. A coach monitors and adjusts the position of the trainer during student use. The coach must manually reset the trainer to a starting position after each use. The trainer may be cylindrical, polygonal in cross-section. A generally rhombic trainer returns to the start position automatically but rocks back and forth after each student use. 
     Fundamental vaulting skills are not easily taught using conventional tumbling training equipment. A conventional tumbling trainer cannot be used to teach a student to propel his or her body horizontally in the direction of a handspring or walkover vault with limited upward motion. 
     Tumbling and vaulting training equipment is bulky. Storage of this equipment requires dedicated storage space. Conventional vaulting training equipment is heavy and difficult to move. 
     There is a need for a portable tumbling and vaulting trainer assembly that can be used to teach students both tumbling and vaulting routines. The assembly should require minimal adjustment by a coach during use, assist the student in learning correct tumbling and vaulting skills, be easy to move as required, and be easily converted between use for tumbling training and use for vaulting training. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a portable gymnastic trainer assembly including a pivot trainer and a chock that assists training students to perform both tumbling and vaulting routines. The shape of the trainer and weights placed in the trainer force the student to use correct form while performing tumbling routines. After the student completes a tumbling routine, the weights automatically pivot the trainer back to its start position without rocking for use in performing another routine. The trainer requires minimal adjustment by a coach during use. 
     For vaulting training, the pivot trainer and a chock are removably mounted on a gymnastic floor surface, which may be looped carpet, so that the pivot trainer is supported against movement. The supported trainer teaches fundamental vaulting skills by forcing students to propel their bodies over the trainer with use of hands in contact with the top surface of the trainer during the upward motion. The chock prevents pivoting of the trainer during vaulting routines. 
     The trainer and chock are made from a single rectangular block of resilient foam material to reduce cost. The assembly is light and easy to move and consumes much less storage space than single-purpose conventional tumbling trainers and vaulting trainers. 
     Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of the gymnastic trainer assembly; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views illustrating placement of weights into cavities in a pivoting trainer core; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the pivoting trainer core; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the pivoting trainer on a support surface in position for tumbling training; 
         FIGS. 6 through 10  show use of the pivoting trainer for tumbling training; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the trainer and chock in position for vaulting training; 
         FIG. 12  is a side view of an assembly chock; 
         FIGS. 13 through 15  show use of the assembly for vaulting training; and 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of a rectangular block of foam material used to manufacture a rotary trainer and chock. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Gymnastic trainer assembly  10  is a training aid for gymnastics, cheerleading and other sports involving tumbling, vaulting, handsprings and the like. Assembly  10  includes a pivot trainer  12  and a chock  14 , which can be removably mounted on a gymnastic carpet or floor. 
     Pivot trainer  12  has opposed, flat and parallel sides  16  and  18  and a circumferential surface  20  extending around the trainer between the sides. The trainer has a uniform cross-section in planes parallel to sides  16  and  18 . Circumferential surface  20  extends perpendicularly to the sides. 
     Surface  20  has two opposed right angle corners  22  and  24  and two opposed rounded corners  26  and  28  each located between corners  22  and  24 . Perpendicular flat walls  30  intersect at corner  22 . Perpendicular flat walls  32  intersect at corner  24 . Horizontal wall  30  is on the top of the trainer. Horizontal wall  32  is on the bottom of the trainer. Vertical wall  30  is on the front of the trainer. Vertical wall  32  is on the back of the trainer. The walls  30  and  32  extend from their respective corners and join the ends of the adjacent rounded corners  26  and  28  at four junctions  34 . The corners  22  and  24 , rounded corners  26  and  28 , and walls  30  and  32  extend between sides  16  and  18 . 
     The trainer  12  is symmetrical to either side of plane  36  extending between corners  22  and  24 . The trainer is also symmetrical to either side of plane  38  extending between the centers of rounded corners  26  and  28 . As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the vertical cross-section of trainer  12  is rectangular with the exception of rounded corners  26  and  28 . These corners are preferably partially cylindrical with a radius which is one-half the horizontal width of the trainer, the horizontal distance between walls  30  and  32 . 
     Chock  14  has a uniform, generally triangular vertical cross-section and a length equal to the distance between the trainer sides  16  and  18 . The chock has a base  42 , a top  44  and angled, concave sides  46  and  48  extending upwardly from the ends of the base to the top. Side  46  conforms to the outer surface of trainer rounded corner  28 . The chock  14  is positioned in recess  50  between support surface  52  for trainer  12  and trainer rounded corner  28  to hold the trainer in place. Support surface  52  may be a looped gymnastic carpet of the type typically used to support gymnastic equipment when performing training exercises. Other types of support surfaces may be used. An advantage of a looped carpet is that a hook Velcro-type fastener member can be readily attached to the carpet at a desired location. The hooked Velcro-type member is also readily removed from the looped carpet. Other types of support surfaces are contemplated. Looped Velcro-type fastening members may be attached to these surfaces to facilitate mounting the trainer and chock on the surfaces and removing the trainer and chock from the surfaces. 
     The chock is removably mounted on carpet support surface  52  by a make-and-break fabric hook fastener  54  on chock base  42 . Fastener  56  holds chock side  46  to trainer  12  at corner  28  and includes a loop fastener member secured to rounded corner  28  of trainer  12  and a complementary hook fastener member on side  46  of chock  14 . 
     The pivot trainer  12  includes a flexible vinyl fabric flap  58  at corner  24 . Flap  58  extends between trainer sides  16  and  18 . When the trainer is mounted on carpet  52  for vaulting, flap  58  overlies the carpet outwardly from the corner  24 . The trainer is removably secured to the carpet by make-and-break fabric hook fastener  60  on flap  58 . Loop fastener  62  on wall  32  adjacent corner  24  holds the flap on the trainer during tumbling. 
     When vault training drills are completed, the trainer can be easily used for tumbling exercises. The trainer is removed from the carpet  52  by separating the connections formed by fasteners  56  and  60 . The chock is removed from the carpet. The flap  58  is folded under trainer corner  24  so that the hook fastener member on the flap engages the loop fastener member  62 . 
     All fasteners extend across the width of the trainer, chock or flap, between sides  16  and  18 . The fasteners are formed from engageable and disengageable or make-and-break fabric members which may be Velcro-type hook or loop fabric members sewn or secured to the adjacent surfaces of the trainer, chock and carpet. Fasteners  54 ,  56  and  60  hold the trainer and chock in place on carpet surface  52  during vaulting training. Fasteners  60  and  62  hold the flap on the bottom of the trainer so that fastener  60  does not engage the carpet when the trainer is rotated on surface  52  during tumbling training. 
     When the assembly is used to teach vaults, the trainer and chock are secured to carpet  52  as shown in  FIG. 1 . Side  46  of the chock engages the trainer corner  28  to prevent rotation of trainer  12 . Make-and-break connections secure the trainer to the chock and to the carpet. Chock side  46  need not be concave or have a shape complementary to the shape of trainer rounded corner  28 . The side of the chock engaging the trainer may have any shape as desired, so long as the chock extends upwardly above the top of the carpet to engage corner  28  and prevent rotation of the trainer. 
     Different size trainers  12  are required for training different size students. Taller students require larger trainers. Smaller students require smaller trainers. The requirements of most students are met by trainers having a width between sides  16  and  18  of 36 inches and a height of 26 inches, a length between walls  30  and  32  of 36 inches and a height-to-length ratio of 0.72; or a height of 30 inches, a length of 36 inches and a height-to-length ratio of 0.83; or a height of 35 inches, a length of 36 inches and a height-to-length ratio of 0.97; or a height of 40 inches, a length of 36 inches and a height-to-length ratio of 1.11. 
     Pivot trainer  12  and chock  14  each include a stiffly resilient polyurethane foam core surrounded by a vinyl fabric covering.  FIG. 16  illustrates a rectangular block  70  of polyurethane foam used in the manufacture of trainer  12  and chock  14 . The block  70  has a width between opposed sides  16  and  18  of 36 inches and a height  72  and length  74  as required for the desired trainer. Semi-cylindrical arcuate cuts  76  and  78  are formed through the width of the block at diagonally opposed corners of the block to form opposed trainer rounded corners  26  and  28  and separate chock sections  80  and  82 . The remainder of block  70  forms foam trainer core  84 . 
     After manufacture of trainer core  86 , as previously described, counterbalance weights are inserted into the core at corner  24  from each core side  16 ,  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 . A weight recess  104 , is formed in each side  16  and  18  inwardly a short distance from right angle corner  24 . The formed core  108  is removed. A weight  106 , which may be a bag filled with sand, a bag of heavy metal pellets or other heavy material, is placed in the bottom of each bore and the foam core  108  is inserted to close the bore and hold the weight in place in core  86 . After the weights have been inserted into the core, vinyl fabric cover  102  is attached to the core. The cover overlies the bores and cores  108 . Flap  58  is attached to cover  102 . 
     While two weights  106  are shown, other weight arrangements are contemplated, including a single weight located equidistant from between sides  16  and  18  and a long weight extending between the sides. 
       FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  show installation of weights  106  into cavities  104  located on either side of core  84 . The amount of weight installed into the cavities can be altered to increase or decrease the force required to smoothly rotate trainer  12  back to the set position after a tumbling routine. 
     The generally-triangular chock sections  80  and  82  are joined together to form a foam core  86  for chock  14 . The sections  80  and  82  are positioned adjacent each other, as shown in  FIG. 12 , with sides  88  and  90  abutting and bonded to each other, sides  92  and  94  lying in a plane at the base of the chock and corners  96  and  98  adjacent each other at the base. The sharp outer edges of foam section  80  and  82  are trimmed away. Chock core  86  is covered by vinyl fabric  100 . The described flexible fabric fastening members are secured to the trainer chock, typically by sewing. 
     Use of assembly  10  will now be described. 
     Pivoting trainer  12  may be used without chock  14  to train a user to perform handsprings, walkovers and other tumbling exercises.  FIGS. 6 through 10  illustrate use of trainer to perform a back handspring. First, a student places trainer  12  on to a gymnastic support carpet  52 . The student or coach assures flap  58  is folded under the trainer so that the flap is held against the trainer while the trainer is rotated on the carpet. See  FIG. 5 . 
     Trainer  12  rests on carpet  52 . A student approaches trainer  12  and places his or her back against the adjacent vertical wall  32  and corner  26 . The student exerts a force against trainer  12  to rotate the trainer in the direction of arrow  110  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Trainer  12  rotates along surface  111  and the student moves with the trainer until side wall  30  comes in contact with the surface, as shown in  FIG. 8 . At this point, the student moves free from the trainer to complete the handspring. Weights  106  exert a force to counter rotate the trainer in the direction of arrow  112  back to its original position as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 . The weights  105  smoothly counter rotate the trainer back to the start position of  FIG. 6  without rocking at the return position. 
       FIGS. 6 through 10  show use of trainer  12  to train for a back handspring. The trainer may be used to train for a front handspring. The student faces the trainer  12  and rotates the trainer as described. The trainer may also be used to train for a back walkover or front walkover. In each case, the weights  106  automatically counter rotate the trainer back to the start position. 
     Weights  106  shift the center of gravity of the trainer toward corner  24 . When the assembly is at the start position, shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the center of gravity is above bottom flat wall  32  and the assembly is at rest and stable. When the assembly is rotated to the position of  FIG. 8 , the center of gravity is to the left of flat wall and gravity automatically counter rotates the trainer back to the starting position. 
     The weights train a student to exert an increased force against the trainer in order to force the trainer to rotate, which encourages correct form for improved handsprings or walkovers. 
     Training assembly  10  may also be used to train students to perform vaults, as illustrated in  FIGS. 13 ,  14  and  15 . The trainer  12  is held in carpet  52  when used for vaulting training. Trainer  12  is supported on the carpet and engages chock angled side  46 . Fasteners  54 ,  56  and  60  secure the trainer and chock on the carpet and the trainer and chock together so that the trainer is stable and does not rotate during vaulting exercises. 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a student using a springboard  112  to vault above the trainer  12  which is fixed in place on the carpet. The student&#39;s hands engage supported trainer top wall  30  to permit push off and rotation to complete the vault as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     While we have illustrated and described preferred embodiments of our invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and we therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.