Patent Publication Number: US-9889332-B2

Title: Exercise device

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2015/050924, filed Mar. 27, 2015, which claims the priority of British Application No. 1405865.5, filed Apr. 1, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an exercise device known as a body weight exercise device or “suspension trainer”. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Such exercise devices have become popular and are generally based on gymnastic rings including an inelastic adjustable strap or rope centrally supported by an anchor that provides distribution between two arms of the strap or rope with a handle at an end of each opposed arms. Such an exercise device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,896. This device enables a wide variety of exercises to be performed where a user&#39;s weight provides resistance that may be varied by the angle of the user&#39;s body in relation to the floor and anchor point—the more upright the user stands the less resistance and the more the user leans their body away from the anchor point, the greater the resistance. The aforesaid exercise device disclosed in the U.S. patent is relatively easy to use and can provide a user with a full body workout. 
     However, the device of the said U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,896 has a number of disadvantages, namely: 
     1. Adjustment of the length of the strap is achieved by using individual, separate buckles located on each side of the strap between an anchor point and each handle. Thus, each side requires separate adjustment which is both difficult and time consuming to achieve equal strap lengths. 
     2. The device can be suspended only in line with the anchor point or mounting structure. If an anchor point or mounting structure is at right angles to the area in which a user wishes to workout, the device is twisted by 90° during use. 
     3. The minimum strap length achievable is limited to approximately half of the maximum strap length. Shorter lengths are not possible which limits the number of configurations and exercises that may be performed. 
     4. Because the strap is a single length, it can become tangled, especially when the exercise device is being packed for storage. 
     5. By virtue of using buckles, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,896, when the separate lengths of the strap are shortened, so the loosened portion may dangle into the exercise zone of a user and become tangled or become an annoyance. 
     WO2013/004734 overcomes some of these problems and discloses an inelastic strap that is wound around a shaft that is controlled by a ratchet wheel that has the rotation thereof governed by a pawl. Where two straps are utilised, each is wound around a separate, independent rotatable shaft, the shafts being connected together through a transmission. 
     The present invention seeks to provide a simpler construction which also at least partially mitigates one or more of the fore-noted problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to this invention there is provided an exercise device including a single rotatable reel arranged to be selectably rotated against the bias of spring means in dependence upon manually operable locking means, said reel having a pair of inelastic straps arranged to be rotationally wound thereabout from opposite directions, whereby when the locking means permits rotation of the reel, pulling on one or both straps against the bias of the spring means causes the straps to be unwound evenly and reducing the pulling force below that of the spring means causes the straps to be contra-rotationally wound around the reel, wherein the reel has a longitudinally extending diametric slot therein and an axle, and the straps are inserted through the slot from differing diametric locations and secured in overlapping manner about the axle. 
     Advantageously, the locking means comprises a toothed sprocket wheel attached to the reel and a spring biased manually operable shaft slideably mounted in a barrel, said shaft and barrel each having a cut-out therein disposed along a longitudinal axis thereof, said cut-outs having a width greater than a width of the toothed sprocket wheel, whereby the toothed sprocket wheel is arranged to locate through the cut-out in the barrel, and the shaft has at least a portion thereof having a full diameter sufficient to locate between the teeth of the toothed sprocket wheel, and translational motion of the shaft within the barrel permits the toothed sprocket wheel to rotate within the cut-outs of the barrel and shaft, or to have rotation thereof arrested by said full diameter of the shaft engaging between adjacent teeth of the toothed sprocket wheel. 
     Advantageously, the shaft is prevented from rotation within the barrel by a pin located transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, which said pin engages within a diametric slot in the barrel. 
     Preferably, the device includes a swivel mount for attaching the device to support means. 
     Advantageously, the swivel mount includes a mechanism to permit the device to rotate through 360°, locking under load at 90° increments. Conveniently, an end of each strap remote from the reel is terminated with handle means which may include a karabiner. 
     Advantageously, door mount means is provided comprising a further strap having opposing ends thereof secured to a bar about which is located a pad, whereby the further strap is positional between a door and door frame, the mount means is locatable on one side of the door and the exercise device is attachable to the further strap means on an opposite side of the door. 
     Advantageously, a lashing strap is provided having a plurality of hoops formed therein, into each of which may be inserted a karabiner. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of an exercise device in accordance with this invention, 
         FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of an exercise device in accordance with this invention, 
         FIG. 3  shows a top elevational view of the exercise device shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  with the casing removed, 
         FIG. 4  shows a longitudinal cross-section along double arrow-headed lines IV-IV of  FIG. 3 , 
         FIG. 5  shows a rear view of a reel and locking mechanism of an exercise device in accordance with the invention, 
         FIG. 6  shows a longitudinal cross-section along double arrow-headed lines VI-VI of  FIG. 5  in one operational position, 
         FIG. 7  shows a longitudinal side view along double arrow-headed lines VI-VI of  FIG. 5  in another operational position, 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of a handle with a foot strap attached to an end of one of the straps, 
         FIG. 9  shows a perspective view of a door mount, 
         FIG. 10  shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the door mount of  FIG. 9  located over a door, 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of a lashing strap, 
         FIGS. 12-15  show the exercise device of the present invention being used in varying exercises. 
     
    
    
     In the Figures, like reference numerals denote like parts. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The exercise device  100  of this invention, shown in  FIG. 1 , has a longitudinally split housing comprising a front drum-shaped casing  101  and a rear drum-shaped casing  102 . Each casing  101 ,  102  has a respective cover  112 . The exercise device  100  is arranged to be supported by a swivel mount  116 , preferably arranged to lock under load at 90° increments, that is attached to a karabiner  114 . Secured within the front and rear casing by means to be described with reference to  FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 , are a pair of flat, inelastic straps  113   a  and  113   b , both of equal length, the straps exiting the casing through a U-shaped elongate aperture  130  in the front and rear casings  101 ,  102 , respectively. It will be realised that a single strap could, alternatively, be used. 
     Each strap  113   a ,  113   b  has a hoop  121  which is secured at a remote end by, for example, stitching or riveting or gluing, to handle means which may include a karabiner  114   a ,  114   b . A manually operable push button  106  is provided to lock the extension of the straps  113   a ,  113   b  or to permit adjustment in the length thereof, as will be described later herein. 
     On an underside of the casings  101 ,  102  diametrically opposite the swivel mount  116  is a foot  115 , preferably made of a rubber material. 
     Referring to the exploded view of  FIG. 2  and  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the straps  113   a ,  113   b  are wound from opposite directions around the periphery of a reel  103  that has an axial longitudinal slot into which distal ends of each strap  113   a ,  113   b , remote from karabiners  114   a ,  114   b , are overlapped around a reel bolt  105  acting as an axle, the overlapping ends of the straps around the reel bolt being secured together by, for example, stitching, gluing or riveting. 
     The reel bolt  105  also axially secures a toothed sprocket wheel  104  to the reel  103 . Opposing ends of the reel  103  are mounted in annular ball race bearings  109 , the bearings  109  being fixedly secured in the front casing  101  and the rear casing  102 , respectively. 
     The reel  103  has a spigot  135  that extends through the rear casing  102  into a spiral spring unit  111 , whereby the reel  103  is rotatable against the bias of a spiral spring within the spiral spring unit  111 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 , the sprocket wheel  104  is rotatable in dependence upon the location of a locking mechanism which comprises the sprocket wheel  104  and a button  106  that is axially slidable within a barrel  107  against the pressure of a compression coil spring  110 . The button  106  has a cut away portion  136  wider than the width of the sprocket wheel  104 , and a diametric pin hole for locating a pin  108  that extends through a diametric slot  138  in the barrel  107 , the pin  108  and slot  138  preventing the button  106  from rotation. A remote end of the button  106  is reduced in diameter to accept thereabout the inside diameter of the coil spring  110  so that the coil spring is restrained between an abutment inside the barrel  107  at one end thereof and a shoulder on the button  106 . The barrel  107  has a notch  139  which is slightly wider than the width of the sprocket wheel  104 . The front and rear casings  101 ,  102  and the barrel  107  are secured together by screws  117  and bolts  118 . 
     In the operative position for exercising shown in  FIG. 6 , the button  106  is moved outwardly from the front casing  101  by the coil spring  110  and the extent of movement is restricted by the pin  108  and slot  138 . In this position, the button  106  locates in the root between adjacent teeth of the sprocket wheel so as to lock the sprocket wheel from rotating. Thus, force is exerted by the coil spring  110  in the direction of arrow headed line F shown in  FIG. 7 . When the button is manually pressed in the direction of arrow headed line F in  FIG. 6 , so the coil spring  110  is compressed and the button  106  is moved axially longitudinally until it is prevented from further axial translation by the pin  108  abutting an end of the slot  138  and the teeth of the sprocket wheel are free to rotate within the cut-away portion  136  in the button  106 . 
     Thus, the reel  103  is able to rotate against the spring bias provided by the spiral spring unit  111  and, when rotated, the straps  113   a ,  113   b  are wound, or unwound, evenly, i.e. equally, in contra-directions on to or off the reel  103  at the same rate, in dependence upon whether or not the button  106  is pressed or released. 
     Thus, the desired length of the straps  113   a ,  113   b  is achieved by holding one or both strap ends and pressing and holding the button  106  against the bias of spring  110  to unlock the reel  103  by moving the cut-away portion  136  into registration with the sprocket wheel  104 . As long as the button  106  is pushed inwardly of the casing  101 , so the straps  113   a ,  113   b  can be adjusted to be longer by pulling them away from the casing  101 ,  102  and overcoming the spring bias of the spiral spring unit  111 . Because the two ends of straps  113   a ,  113   b  are unwound centrally from the same point, so they are always adjusted evenly and at the same rate. When at the desired length, the button  106  is released to lock the reel  103  and the straps  113   a ,  113   b  are thereby locked at the predetermined length. If it is desired to adjust the straps to be shorter, then by holding one or both straps  113   a ,  113   b  and pressing the button  106 , the spiral spring unit  111  recoils the straps  113   a ,  113   b  to wind them onto the reel  103  evenly at a rate which is controlled by the user. 
     Many different strap attachments and handles may be provided which are attached by the karabiners  114   a ,  114   b . One such attachment is a handle with a foot strap  120 , shown in  FIG. 8 . It is also envisaged that the handle with foot strap  120  may be permanently stitched to the strap ends instead of using a karabiner  114   a ,  114   b . A lashing strap  119 , shown in  FIG. 11 , consists of a length of double thickness strap with a series of stitched hoops  121  so as to provide a strap of pre-determinedly adjustable length when a karabiner is located through a hoop  121 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a bracket  126  is fixed to a ceiling (although it may, alternatively, be fixed to a wall) and a karabiner is located around the bracket  126  and the device  100  is connected to the bracket  126  by the lashing strap  119 . In the  FIG. 12 , a user U is performing pull-ups. 
     In  FIG. 13 , the device  100  is connected to a door D and doorframe DF, as will be more fully described with reference to  FIGS. 9 and 10  later herein. The user U in  FIG. 13  is performing back pulls. In  FIGS. 14 and 15 , the lashing strap  119  is located about a beam B and, in  FIG. 14 , the user is performing alternate arm raisers and, in  FIG. 15 , the user U is performing body exercises using the foot portion of the handle with foot strap  120 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the door mount  122  has a bar  124  around which is circumferentially provided a pad  125 . A further strap  123  has opposing ends wrapped around the bar  124  to provide a hoop  121  which is stitched to secure the strap to the bar  124 . The pad  125  acts as a cushion against a door D and the strap  123  extends through two slots  139  in the pad  125 . As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 13 , the mount  122  is hung over the top of a door D with the padded part on one side and the loop part of the strap  123  on the other side of the door. The device  100  is attached to the strap  123  by karabiner  114 , and when the door is closed the padded part pulls against the outside of the door D and the door frame DF to prevent the strap  123  from being pulled through the gap between the door D and door frame DF. 
     It is to be understood that the lashing strap  119  may be used in conjunction with the door mount  122  and the ceiling/wall bracket  126  if extra length is required. The stitched hoops  121  allow for predetermined length adjustment so that the device  100  can be suspended at a desired height. The lashing strap  119  may also be used over frames or structures such as the beam B or a tree branch to provide an anchor point for the device  100 .