Patent Publication Number: US-2007117682-A1

Title: Ball exerciser and method of using the same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed toward an exercise device and more particularly, toward an improved exercise device and method that offers the option of a combined aerobic and anaerobic workout for both the lower and upper body.  
      Physical fitness and exercise have been and continue to be very important aspects of people&#39;s lives. To aid people reach their goals with regard to cardio fitness, numerous types of exercise devices are currently available. For example, treadmills, stationary bicycles, ski machines, rowing machines, and stair climbers are just a few of the more popular devices.  
      Many of the above described exercise devices are designed primarily for the legs. Rowing machines, of course, also provide exercise for the upper body although they are normally designed for specific muscle groups. It is also known to provide some stationary exercise devices such as ski machines with moveable handles for exercising ones arms. Such handles, however, provide only for monotonous forward and back movement.  
      Weightlifting is yet another form of exercise and conditioning tool used by many who are concerned with maintaining their health and a desired level of fitness. To aid in this endeavor, free weights as well as many machines are available that exercise and strengthen various muscles, either individually or simultaneously.  
      Devices that combine a cardio workout with muscle toning are also very popular. For example, elliptical machines provide an aerobic workout as well as upper body strengthening. However, because these machines are constructed in such a way that the portion of the machine providing the cardio workout is tied into the muscle toning portion of the machine, the exerciser is forced into always combining the two types of workouts.  
      Therefore, a need exists for an exercise device that gives the exerciser the option of an aerobic workout, an anaerobic workout, or a combination of the two and which provides the user with the ability to vary the muscle groups being worked.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device that provides a combined aerobic and anaerobic workout.  
      It is a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise device that provides an exerciser with the options of a cardio workout combined with muscle toning, a cardio workout, or muscle toning.  
      In accordance with illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided an exercise device that is comprised essentially of a substantially spherically shaped ball having a diameter of approximately eighteen to twenty four inches. A support structure supports the ball so that it is rotatable in substantially any direction. The ball is preferably positioned at least waist high to a person wishing to exercise using said ball. To exercise, the person places his or her hands in various positions as desired such as on opposite sides of the ball and moves them back and forth to rotate the ball about a any axis. Alternatively, the person can move his or her hands up and down or in substantially any direction while rotating the ball. Using a variable resistance means, the amount of force needed to rotate the ball can be adjusted so as to increase or decrease the workout. The ball can be used alone or it can be positioned in front of a stationary workout apparatus such as a treadmill to be used simultaneously therewith.  
      Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the accompanying drawings forms that are presently preferred; it being understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.  
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view a first embodiment of the invention showing the same being used in combination with a treadmill;  
       FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of a stand that forms a part of the first embodiment of present invention;  
       FIG. 3  is a partial front elevational view of the stand of the first embodiment of  FIG. 2 ;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates the pivotable nature of the stand of the first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a side elevational view of the first embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 6  is an exploded view of the base of the stand shown in the foregoing figures, and  FIG. 7  is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a second embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  a first embodiment of an exercise device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as  10 .  
      The exercise device  10  of the present invention essentially includes a substantially spherically shaped ball  12  which preferably has a diameter of between 12 and 36 inches but preferably between 18 to 24 inches. The ball  12  may be made of substantially any material and can be either solid or hollow. Alternatively, and for the reasons discussed more fully below, the ball may be partially or completely filled with particulate material such as sand or magnetically attractable metal fillings or the like.  
      The ball  12  is mounted so that it can be manually rotated utilizing a person&#39;s hands. Preferably, the ball can be rotated in any direction. As will become apparent, however, certain benefits can be obtained utilizing the present invention if the ball  12  is mounted to be rotatable about only a vertical axis or about only a horizontal axis. Again, however, it is preferred that the ball  12  be mounted for rotation about at least two orthogonal axes.  
      One example of a support structure  14  for supporting the ball  12  is shown most clearly in  FIG. 2 . It must be understood, however, that this is by way of example only and essentially any structure that will support the ball  12  for rotation about various axes could also be used with the present invention.  
      The support structure  12  includes a vertically extending post  16  which is attached at its bottom to a horizontally extending leg  18  having feet  20  and  22  secured at either end thereof. While the feet  20  and  22  are shown to be relatively short, it will be understood that the length of these feet can be increased if further support is needed. As shown most clearly in  FIG. 6 , the length of the leg  18  can be extended if needed utilizing bolts  24  and  26  that extend through appropriate openings in the telescoping leg  18 . Similarly, the height of the post  16  can be adjusted by removing bolt  28 , moving the post  16  up or down over the telescoping portion  30  and reinserting the bolt  28  through the appropriate openings  32  and  34  in the posts  16  and  30 .  
      Extending forwardly of the post  16  is a horizontal bar  36 . The bar  36  passes beneath the ball  12  and extends upwardly at the forward end thereof as shown at  38  to terminate in a plate  40  which carries a roller ball  42 . The roller ball  42  is mounted for free rotation on the plate  40 . Although only one roller ball  42  is shown, it should be readily apparent that more than one roller ball may be use if additional support is required.  
      The forward portion and/or the sides of the ball  12  could be supported in a manner similar to the roller ball  42  at the forward portion of the ball. It is preferred. however, to utilize a pair of curved rollers such as shown at  44  and  46  that are journaled onto the frame  48 . The curved rollers  44  and  46  are shaped so as to fit around a portion of the circumference of the ball  12  and are arranged so that the roller  44  lies just above the center line of ball  12  while the roller  46  lies just below the center line. The frame  48  carrying the rollers  44  and  46  is, itself, mounted for rotation about the horizontal axis  50  to the top of the vertical support beam  16  thereby allowing the frame  48  and the rollers  44  and  46  to rotate as shown in  FIG. 4 . A weight  51  may be provided to bias the frame  48  into a vertical position with rollers  44  and  46  aligned vertically.  
      In order to provide a means for adjusting the amount of resistance required to move the ball  12 , the rollers  44  and  46  are linked together through the use of a belt  52  that passes around pulleys  54  and  56  associated with the rollers  44  and  46 . A second belt  58  extends between pulley  60  and pulley  62 . Pulley  62  is connected to the shaft of a resistance device  64  which can be manually controlled by turning the dial  66 . The resistance device  64  may take substantially any form and merely puts more or less resistance on the ability of the pulley  62  to rotate as the dial  66  is turned. Devices of this type are well known in the exercise art. They are frequently used, for example, with stationary bicycles to increase or decrease the tension on the pedals.  
      The exercise ball device shown in  FIGS. 2-5  can be used by itself. That is, a person wishing to exercise using the ball can simply utilize the same in the manner to be described hereinafter. Alternatively, the exercise ball  12  can be positioned in front of a stationary exercise device such as a treadmill  68  as shown in  FIG. 1 . It should be understood that this is by way of example only as the device  10  could be positioned in front of a ski machine, an elliptical walker, a stepping machine or substantially any other similar type of device.  
      Depending on the exercise desired, the ball  12  is preferably positioned vertically at least at the position of the user&#39;s knees. In some exercises, the ball  12  may be positioned as high as the person&#39;s shoulders or possibly even higher. It is envisioned, however, that most exercises will be performed with the ball located somewhere between the person&#39;s waist and shoulders.  
      In use, the person exercising will place the palm and fingers of his or her hands substantially anywhere on the surface of the ball such as, for example, on opposite sides of the ball  12 . From that position, the person can then rotate the ball by moving, for example, his or her right hand up while moving the left hand down and then reversing the operation. That is, the person&#39;s hands will be moving up and down while rotating the ball. In another exercise, the ball  12  can first be rotated 90° about the axis  50  as shown in  FIG. 4  so that the rollers  44  and  46  are arranged vertically. The person exercising can then place his or her hands on the left and right sides of the ball and move his or her arms forward and back in a manner similar to the movement of the poles in a skiing machine. Since the ball  12  is mounted for rotation in substantially any direction, numerous other variations of movements of the hands and arms can be performed. And the amount of resistance required to rotate the ball  12  can be adjusted by turning the dial  66 .  
      In an alternate embodiment of the invention as show diagrammatically in  FIG. 7 , the support structure  114  for the ball  112  has an upper surface that is essentially bowl shaped. The size and shape of the bowl is selected so that the ball  112  closely fits therein. The upper surface of the bowl support may either be very smooth to allow the ball to slide and rotate therein or it may be provided with a number of ball bearings or the like such as shown at  142 . The ball  112  may be solid or may be in the form of a spherical shell. In this latter form, the ball may be partially or completely filled with a granular material  200  such as sand or the like. Changing the amount of sand, as desired, can change the force needed to exercise using the device.  
      The granular material  200  may also be a magnetically susceptible material such as iron filings or the like. In this way one or more magnets  202  can be mounted in or near the support  114  to influence the magnetic particles  200  within the ball. The magnets  202  will have an effect on the forces needed to rotate the ball  112 . If electromagnets are used as the magnets  202 , the forces on the magnetic material  200  and, as a result, the forces on the ball  112  can be adjusted by varying the voltage applied to the coils of the electromagnets.  
      The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.