Patent Publication Number: US-11638846-B2

Title: Exercising assisting and support assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation application I hereby claim the benefit under 35 U.S.C., Section 120 of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/718,979 filed Sep. 28, 2017. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The disclosure and prior art relates to exercising body support devices and more particularly pertains to a new exercising body support device for use during a plurality of different exercises where a user requires bodily support while performing an exercise. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a body including a bottom surface, a top surface, a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a first end and a second end. The body is elongated from the first end to the second end and a cross-section of the body taken perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body has a trapezoidal shape. The body has a length from the first end to the second end is between 24.0 inches and 48.0 inches and a height from the bottom surface to the top surface being at least 12.0 inches and less than 16.0 inches. The bottom surface has a width from the first lateral side to the second lateral side between 16.0 inches and 20.0 inches and the top surface has a width from the first lateral side to the second lateral side at least equal to 4.0 inches and no greater than 10.0 inches. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a front perspective view of an exercising assisting and support assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG.  1   . 
         FIG.  4    is a side in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  6    is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  6    thereof, a new exercising body support device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  6   , the exercising assisting and support assembly  10  generally comprises a body  12  that includes an interior support  14  and an exterior cover  16 . The body  12  includes a bottom surface  18 , a top surface  20 , a first lateral side  22 , a second lateral side  24 , a first end  26  and a second end  28 . The body  12  is elongated from the first end  26  to the second end  28  and a cross-section of the body  12  taken perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the body will typically have a trapezoidal shape, though other shapes may be utilized. Specifically, the top surface  20  has a width from the first lateral side  22  to the second lateral side  24  that is smaller than a width of the bottom surface  18  from the first lateral side  22  to the second lateral side  24 . 
     Generally, the body  12  has a length from the first end  24  to the second end  26  is between 24.0 inches and 48.0 inches and will typically have a length equal to about 36.0 inches. The bottom surface  18  has a width from the first lateral side  22  to the second lateral side  24  between 16.0 inches and 20.0 inches and the top surface  20  has a width from the first lateral side  22  to the second lateral side  24  at least equal to 4.0 inches and no greater than 10.0 inches. Though less preferred, the bottom surface  18  may have a width as low as 12.0 inches. Generally, the width of the bottom surface  18  is between 2.0 and 4.0 times a width of the top surface  20 . The body  12  has a height from the bottom surface  18  to the top surface  20  that is greater than at least 12.0 inches and less than 16.0 inches. 
     The interior support  14  comprises a foamed material such that the foamed material comprises from 25% to 100% of a volume of the interior support and will typically comprise more than 75% of the volume. This ensures that the body  12  is relatively light to facilitate transportation and movement of the body  12  around a gym and for general repositioning of such as a user of the assembly changes exercises. In addition to the foamed material, materials to increase the rigidity of the body may be provided. As such, the interior support  14  may include a framework  30  which is comprised of wood, metal, plastic, carbon fiber, or other like materials.  FIG.  6    shows, in phantom, one such frame structure which could be utilized. The framework  30  may be positioned such that it forms the exterior edges of the interior support  14  or it may be embedded within the foamed material. The foamed material may comprise expanded polyethylene foam, for example, though other foams, such as cross-linked polyethylene foam may also be utilized. Typically, the foam will have a density equal to between 0.50 lbs./ft 3  and 2.6 lbs./ft 3 . Overall, the body  12  will have a weight of less than 10.0 lbs. 
     The exterior cover  16  is provided to prevent damage to the interior support  14  as well as provide comfort during the use of the assembly  10 . In addition to the above, the exterior cover  14  will facilitate cleaning of the assembly  10  to prevent the spread of germs. The exterior cover  14  may comprise a flexible material and may include any conventional material utilized in sporting equipment. Thus, the flexible material may comprise a plastic material, an elastomeric material, a leather material, spray coatings, and the like. Though not shown, the exterior cover  16  may include an opening that is zippered or closeable in another conventional manner so that it may be removed and replaced if needed. One or more handles, also not shown, may be attached to the exterior cover  16  to facilitate carrying of the body. 
     The body  12  is resiliently compressible due to the materials utilized in the interior support  14  and to cushion the user&#39;s torso during exercises. However, the body  12  compresses, downwardly from the top surface  20  to the bottom surface  14  a minimal amount when the top surface  20  is subjected to a weight of 200 lbs. displaced over an area equal to 144 in 2 . This area will typically be measured as 6.0 inches deep (from the first lateral side to the second lateral side) and 24.0 inches wide. The minimal amount, when the height of the body is 12.0 inches, is less than 20% and may more preferably be less than 15% and even more preferably less than 10%. A minimal amount of compression is preferred so that the body  12  provides adequate stability during exercises where a person&#39;s torso is positioned on the body  12  and will further allow for a person to stand on top of the body  12  while performing leg strengthening exercises. 
     In use, the assembly  10  may be used for a plethora of different exercises where a traditional weight lifting bench is not needed or is not as convenient to utilize due to the weight of the lifting bench or bench height which is typically greater than 16 inches. The light weight of the body  12  ensures that it may be easily transported and moved to further facilitate its usage during exercises. The exercises may include, for example and as can be seen in  FIGS.  4  and  5   , a hip lift can be performed with the assembly  10 . While this exercise may be performed with a weight lifting bench, such can be painful for the user&#39;s back and shoulders. Other lifting exercises include utilizing the assembly  10  as a bench while performing shoulder and pectoral presses and flies. Leg exercises may be performed such as one-legged step ups. Aerobic exercises include jumping over the assembly and stability/balance actions are done by inverting the assembly  10  and standing on the bottom surface or performing pushups. When not in use, the assembly  10  is easily storable by stacking or placement in a corner or against a wall. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.