Patent Publication Number: US-11040232-B1

Title: Hydrodynamic exercise device and method

Description:
The present invention relates generally to devices and methods for carrying out dynamic exercise routines and pertains, more specifically, to facilitating such exercise routines while avoiding the generation and transmission of deleterious abrupt impacts to a person during the conduct of a dynamic exercise routine. 
     Exercise devices that employ hydrodynamics to attain effective exercise forces during relatively simple exercise routines have been available over the past several years. These exercise devices usually employ a liquid medium, such as water, captured within a flexible tubular body provided with handles so that manipulation of the tubular body during an exercise routine results in movement of the liquid medium to create exercise forces effective when carrying out the desired exercise routine. 
     The present invention provides improvements in exercise devices that employ hydrodynamics. As such, the present invention attains several objects and advantages, some of which are summarized as follows: Utilizes the principles of hydrodynamics in an exercise device and method while avoiding deleterious abrupt impacts transmitted to a person conducting an exercise routine; enables a person to carry out beneficial structured exercises without encountering deleterious abrupt impacts; facilitates the establishment and performance of beneficial exercise routines through viewable visual displays; provides an easily transported, highly mobile exercise device for convenient use at any one of a variety of locations; enables simple, compact storage of a hydrodynamic exercise device when not in use, and ease of preparation for use; creates and provides maximum benefits for increased muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and stability; provides a simple construction of inexpensive, durable materials for economical construction and long-term exemplary performance. 
     The above objects and advantages, as well as further objects and advantages, are attained by the present invention which may be described briefly as an exercise device for manipulation to create exercise forces during the conduct of dynamic exercise routines, the exercise device comprising: an elongate tubular body of flexible material having an internal chamber extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends of the chamber; a liquid medium partially filling the chamber so as to be movable between the terminal ends in response to manipulation of the tubular body; a pair of grips integrated with the tubular body, each grip located in juxtaposition with a corresponding terminal end of the chamber; and the chamber having a reentrant curved contour configuration at each terminal end such that during manipulation of the tubular body, gripped at the grips while conducting an exercise routine, the liquid medium, upon reaching a terminal end of the chamber, will follow a smooth, uninterrupted return path along the reentrant curved contour configuration, thereby creating an exercise force while avoiding the establishment and transmission of any abrupt impact to a corresponding grip. 
     In addition, the present invention provides a method for avoiding the establishment and transmission of any abrupt impact to a person conducting an exercise routine with an exercise device having an elongate tubular body of flexible material with an internal chamber extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends of the chamber, and a liquid medium partially filling the chamber so as to be movable between the terminal ends in response to manipulation of the tubular body, the method comprising: providing the chamber with a reentrant curved contour configuration at each terminal end such that during manipulation of the tubular body while conducting the exercise routine, the liquid medium, upon reaching a terminal end of the chamber, will follow a smooth, uninterrupted return path along the reentrant curved contour configuration, thereby creating an exercise force while avoiding the establishment and transmission of any abrupt impact at a corresponding terminal end. 
     Further, the present invention provides an exercise device for manipulation to create exercise forces during the conduct of dynamic exercise routines, the exercise device comprising: an elongate tubular body of flexible material having a wall enclosing an internal chamber extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends of the chamber for containing a volume of liquid medium that will partially fill the chamber so as to be movable between the terminal ends of the chamber in response to manipulation of the tubular body; and a pair of grips integrated with the tubular body, each grip located in juxtaposition with a corresponding terminal end of the chamber; the wall of the elongate tubular body including an essentially transparent first wall portion, a second wall portion placed laterally opposite the first wall portion, and visual material placed upon the second wall portion so as to be visible through the first wall portion. 
     Still further, the present invention accomplishes, in a method in which dynamic exercise routines are conducted utilizing an elongate tubular body of flexible material having a wall enclosing an internal chamber extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends of the chamber and containing a volume of liquid medium partially filling the chamber so as to be movable between the terminal ends of the chamber in response to manipulation of the tubular body, providing the wall of the elongate tubular body with an essentially transparent first wall portion, a second wall portion placed laterally opposite the first wall portion, and visual material placed upon the second wall portion so as to be visible through the first wall portion during the exercise routines. 
    
    
     
       The invention will be understood more fully, while still further objects and advantages will become apparent, in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of an exercise device constructed in accordance with the present invention, partially cut-away to reveal interior details of construction; 
         FIG. 2  is a pictorial view, partially broken away, of the exercise device in use during an exercise routine; 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating a step in the procedure for constructing the exercise device; 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 3 , and showing a next subsequent step in the construction procedure; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 4 , and showing another subsequent step in the construction procedure; 
         FIG. 6  is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 5 , and showing still another subsequent step in the construction procedure; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 6 , and showing a further subsequent step in the construction procedure; 
         FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to  FIG. 7 , and showing a still further subsequent step in the construction procedure; 
         FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of another exercise device constructed in accordance with the present invention, partially cut-away to reveal interior details of construction; and 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     Referring now to the drawing, and especially to  FIGS. 1 and 2  thereof, an exercise device constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at  10  and is seen to include an elongate tubular body  12  having a wall  13  of flexible material enclosing an internal chamber  14  extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends  16  of the chamber  14 . A liquid medium, shown in the form of water  18 , partially fills the chamber  14  so as to be movable between the terminal ends  16  in response to manipulation of the tubular body  12  during the conduct of a hydrodynamic exercise routine, exercise device  10  being shown in  FIG. 2  during the conduct of one such exercise routine. 
     A pair of grips is shown in the form of straps  20  integrated with the tubular body  12 , with each strap  20  located in juxtaposition with a corresponding terminal end  16  of the chamber  14 . During various exercise routines, straps  20  are grasped and tubular body  12  is manipulated through a series of maneuvers, one such maneuver being characterized by arrow M in  FIG. 2 , during which tubular body  12  takes up orientations and configurations enabled by virtue of the flexible nature of wall  13  of tubular body  12 , in response to movements performed by the person conducting an exercise routine. As tubular body  12  is driven into various orientations and configurations, the water  18  contained within tubular body  12  will migrate within the chamber  14 , from one terminal end  16  to the other, and thereby generate forces that are transmitted to the person participating in a particular exercise routine so as to provide appropriate resistance forces to various muscle groups being addressed during a workout. 
     In order to avoid the establishment and transmission of any abrupt impact to a corresponding strap  20  and, consequently, to the person conducting an exercise routine, chamber  14  is provided with a reentrant curved contour configuration  22  at each terminal end  16  (see also  FIG. 3 ) such that water  18 , upon reaching a terminal end  16  of the chamber  14 , will follow a smooth, uninterrupted return path, illustrated in  FIG. 2  by arrow RP, along the reentrant curved contour configuration  22 , thereby creating a desired exercise force while avoiding the establishment and transmission to a corresponding strap  20  and, consequently, through the strap  20  to the person conducting the exercise routine, of any abrupt impact which can have an adverse effect on that person. In the preferred construction, reentrant curved contour configuration  22  follows a generally parabolic profile  24 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 3 through 8 , as well as to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , tubular body  12  preferably is constructed of one or a combination of more than one relatively thin, flexible synthetic polymeric materials such as a polyurethane film, or a polyurethane film coated onto a polyester fabric. Antimicrobial additives may be used to prevent bacteria growth within chamber  14 . A fill valve  28  may be fabricated of urethane and is readily available for selectively introducing water  18  into chamber  14  in preparation for use of the exercise device  10 , and for draining water  18  from chamber  14  to enable selective collapse and folding of tubular body  12  for convenient transportation or compact storage. 
     In a sequence of operations illustrated in  FIGS. 3 through 8 , in connection with the construction of exercise device  10 , tubular body  12  is sealed throughout area  30  adjacent each terminal end  16  of chamber  14 , to establish the aforesaid reentrant curved contour configuration  22  at each terminal end  16  of chamber  14 , and to provide contiguous pads  32 , as seen in  FIG. 3 , which pads  32  then are folded upon one another along a transverse line  34 , then sealed to one another, as by heat-sealing, and then provided with longitudinal fold lines  35  that divide the sealed-together pads  32  into a series of longitudinally extending parallel sections, here shown in  FIG. 4  as six parallel sections  36 . Then, each outermost section  36 A is folded over a next-contiguous section  36 B, as seen in  FIG. 5  and, as seen in  FIG. 6 , the folded-over sections  36 A,  36 B are folded into juxtaposition with further contiguous sections  36 C. The folded-over sections  36 A,  36 B and  36 C then are folded over one-another to create an extended block  40 , as seen in  FIG. 7 , which then is provided with sub-pads  42  of heat-sealable hook-and-loop material, preferably nylon. Then, as seen in  FIG. 8 , a strip  44 , preferably of tubular nylon webbing, is looped and joined to each block  40 , in a corresponding sub-assembly  46 , and each sub-assembly  46  is heat-welded for a permanent connection. Each heat-welded sub-assembly  46  then is enclosed within a tubular cuff  48  of foam synthetic polymeric material, all as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . In this manner, strip  44  provides strap  20 , which serves as a convenient and secure handle at each end  52  of tubular body  12 , while each end  52  provides chamber  14  with the desired reentrant curved contour configuration  22  at each terminal end  16 . 
     Exercise device  10  may be made available in a range of sizes. Thus, in preferred embodiments, tubular body  12  is provided with a length between ends  52  of about fifty to sixty inches and, when set out flat, an overall laid-flat diameter of about seven and one-half inches. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , another exercise device constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown at  60  and is seen to include an elongate tubular body  62  having a wall  63  of flexible material enclosing an internal chamber  64  extending longitudinally between opposite terminal ends  66  of the chamber  64 . A liquid medium, shown in the form of water  68 , partially fills the chamber  64  so as to be movable between the terminal ends  66  in response to manipulation of the tubular body  62  during the conduct of a hydrodynamic exercise routine. A pair of grips is shown in the form of straps  70  integrated with the tubular body  62 , with each strap  70  located in juxtaposition with a corresponding terminal end  66  of the chamber  64 , enabling the conduct of such exercise routines, and a fill valve  72  is readily available for selectively introducing water  68  into chamber  64  in preparation for use of the exercise device  60 , and for draining water  68  from chamber  64  to enable selective collapse and folding of tubular body  62  for convenient transportation or compact storage, all as described above in connection with exercise device  10 . 
     In the present embodiment, wall  63  includes a first wall portion  80  and a second wall portion  82  placed laterally opposite the first wall portion  80 , the wall portions  80  and  82  shown as being joined together, as by a sealed joint  84 , to establish the closed chamber  64 . Wall portion  80  is constructed of an essentially transparent material, preferably a clear synthetic polymeric material such as a clear polyurethane, and visual material  90 , shown in the form of characters or illustrations  92 , is displayed at second wall portion  82  by being located on second wall portion  82 , so as to be visible through the window provided by first wall portion  80 . The visible material may include instructions or images to assist in carrying out selected exercise routines, or promotional information, or merely aesthetic designs to be enjoyed while carrying out an exercise routine. In addition, accuracy in the conduct of a particular exercise routine may be confirmed by observation of the movement of water  68  within chamber  64 . Second wall portion  82  may be constructed of a substantially opaque synthetic polymeric material, such as a urethane cast-coated polyester fabric. 
     It will be seen that the present invention attains all of the objects and advantages summarized above, namely: Utilizes the principles of hydrodynamics in an exercise device and method while avoiding deleterious abrupt impacts transmitted to a person conducting an exercise routine; enables a person to carry out beneficial structured exercises without encountering deleterious abrupt impacts; facilitates the establishment and performance of beneficial exercise routines through viewable visual displays; provides an easily transported, highly mobile exercise device for convenient use at any one of a variety of locations; enables simple, compact storage of a hydrodynamic exercise device when not in use, and ease of preparation for use; creates and provides maximum benefits for increased muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and stability; provides a simple construction of inexpensive, durable materials for economical construction and long-term exemplary performance. 
     It is to be understood that the above description of preferred embodiments of the invention is provided by way of example only. Various details of design, construction and procedure may be modified without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.