Patent Publication Number: US-6220997-B1

Title: Exercise equipment prophylactic covering system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES AND RELATED SUBJECT MATTER 
     This application is related to subject matter contained in provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/147,384, filed in the United States Patent Office on Aug. 3, 1999. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to exercise equipment protective coverings. More particularly, the invention relates to items for selectively covering exercise equipment prior to and during use, to prevent contact by the user with bodily fluids from others which may be present on the surfaces of the exercise equipment. 
     In crowded gyms, one user might begin to use a piece of exercise equipment a mere few minutes or even seconds after a previous user completed use thereof. With such a short time interval between users, a great possibility exists for disease transmission. A large variety of pathogens are present within bodily fluids. Since exercise often involves the secretion of sweat, expectoration of respiratory fluids through the mouth, and causes mucous to loosen and run from nasal passages, this mix of bodily fluids often ends up on the exercise equipment and can carry and transmit pathogens to an unsuspecting subsequent user. 
     In addition to the real possibility of disease transmission, most people simply find it unpleasant to sit, lay, or grasp exercise equipment which is coated in sweat from another person. For these reasons, many gyms at least attempt to require that each person wipe down the equipment after they user it. 
     While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to produce a protective system which prevents transmission of diseases between people who use the same piece of exercise equipment. 
     It is another object of the invention to produce protective devices which install on gym equipment, to prevent direct contact between the user and the machine. 
     It is a further object of the invention to produce protective devices which are suited for covering and protecting different types of exercise equipment. Accordingly, separate protective devices are available to protect hand grips, hand rails, and seats of commonly used exercise equipment. 
     It is a still further object of the invention to produce a protective device which is absorbent, so as to absorb sweat from the user, and provide a dry, comfortable, and soft feel. 
     The invention is an exercise equipment prophylactic covering system, for use in preventing bodily contact with exercise equipment, and thereby preventing contact with bodily fluids from previous users of said exercise equipment. The system includes a seat cover, a single open ended tubular cover, a double open ended tubular cover, and a bicycle handle bar cover. The seat cover is preferably used on any type of seat, said cover attaching over the top of the seat back. The double open ended tubular cover is preferably used on any bar which does not have an open end or forms a continuous part of an exercise machine, such as the handle bars on step machines and the like. The single open ended tubular cover is preferably used on any equipment which provides an open ended handgrip, such as a pull down bar, dumbbells, barbells, and the like. The bicycle handle bar cover is designed to completely cover the handle bars of an exercise bicyle, and is best suited for a so-called “spinning bicyle”. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view, illustrating various components of the exercise equipment prophylactic covering system. 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a double open ended tubular cover according to the present invention being used on a piece of exercise equipment having an elongated handle bar. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a seat cover and a single open ended tubular cover according to the present invention being used on a piece of exercise equipment which has a seat and a pair of hand grips. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the attachment of the seat cover onto the seat back on the seat of a piece of exercise equipment. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a bicycle handle bar cover according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates the bicycle handle bar cover attached over the handle bars of a spinning bicycle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates an exercise equipment prophylactic covering system  10 , which may include a seat cover  30 , and tubular covers which include a single open ended tubular cover  40  and a double open ended tubular cover  50 . A bicylce handle bar cover  70  is illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     The seat cover  30  has a back surface  31 , having a bottom end  32  and a top end  33 . The top end  33  has a pocket  35  formed at the top end  33 , which preferably has a bisecting split  37 , forming a upside down “V” at the top end  33 . The function of this pocket  35  will be described hereinafter. 
     The single open ended tubular cover  40  is substantially the shape of a cylinder, having a single open end  41 , and a bore  43  extending virtually the full length thereof. 
     The double open ended tubular cover  50  is substantially tubular in shape, having two open ends  51 , wherein said tube is joined lengthwise by a longitudinal zipper  53  extending between the two open ends  51 . The longitudinal zipper  53  essentially allows the double open ended tubular cover  50  to be un-zipped, and opened into a rectangular sheet. The cover  50  may then be wrapped around a bar, cylinder or tube, and then fastened around the bar, cylinder, or tube using the longitudinal zipper  53 . 
     FIG. 2 illustrates the double open ended tubular cover  50  in use on an exercise machine  20 . The exercise machine illustrated is a “step” machine. The step machine has a horizontal bar  21  which the user holds on to as the machine is used. The horizontal bar  21  is not open, but forms a continuous loop with other portions of said machine. Therefore, according to the present invention, the horizontal bar  21  is covered with the double open ended tubular cover  50 , since said double open ended tubular cover  50  can be opened, extended around the horizontal bar  21 , and then secured thereon using the longitudinal zipper thereof. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the seat cover  30  and a pair of single open ended covers  40  being used on a piece of exercise equipment  60  having a seat bottom  61 , a seat back  62 , and a pair of handgrips  63 . First, one of the single open ended covers  40  is extended over each of the handgrips  63 , with the handgrips  63  inserted into the open ends  41  of each of said single open ended covers  40 . Second, the seat cover  30  is extended over the seat back  62  with the top end  33  attached thereon, and the bottom end  32  draping over the seat bottom  61 . Referring to FIG. 4, attachment of the seat cover  30  onto the seat back  62  is illustrated. The seat back  62  extends into the pocket  35 , with the top end  33  of the cover  30  holding said cover  30  in place. The bisecting split  37  allows the cover  30  to adjust to different sized exercise equipment seats. The seat cover  30  can also be used on weight benches and many other similar exercise equipment configurations. The single open ended covers  40  can also be used on any type of handgrip, such as on pull-down bars, dumbbells, barbells, and the like. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, the bicycle handle bar cover  70  includes a central portion  72  and two arcuate extremities  74 . the bicycle handle bar cover  70  has a posterior  76 . A handle bar cover zipper  78  extends across the posterior  76  of the handle bar cover  70 , extending between both arcuate extremities  74 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, illustrated is an exercise bicycle  80 , having a handle bar  82 . The bicycle illustrated is a spinning bicycle, which has a distinctive handle bar  82  configuration having a pair of complementary arcuate handle portions. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the arcuate extremities  74  extend fully over the arcuate handle portions of the handle bar  82 , and fits snuggly thereupon. The handle bar cover zipper  78  is closed to ensure that the bicycle handle bar cover  70  remains securely on the handle bar  82 . Once securely on the handle bar  82 , the bicycle  80  can be safely utilized. 
     Preferably all components of the covering system  10  are made of a soft, absorbent, towel or terry-cloth like material. However, it is contemplated that any material which provides the protective and comfort qualities according to the goals of the invention may be utilized. 
     In conclusion, herein is presented an exercise equipment prophylactic covering system, which prevents direct contact between an exercise equipment user and the exercise equipment itself. The system thereby prevents transmission of pathogens and even contact with bodily fluids from a previous user of the same exercise equipment. 
     In conclusion, herein is presented a system for effectively covering that portion of exercise equipment which comes into contact with the user in a multi-user exercise environment, such that the transmission of bodily fluids and germs through said equipment is eliminated or drastically reduced.