Patent Publication Number: US-7914426-B1

Title: Twist exercising device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an exercising device and, more particularly, to a twist exercising device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional twist bar in accordance with the prior art shown in  FIG. 9  comprises a tension spring  10 , two support tubes  20  mounted on two opposite ends of the tension spring  10 , and two grips  30  mounted on the two support tubes  20  respectively. The tension spring  10  consists of a plurality of elastic rings  12 . When in use, after the user&#39;s two hands hold the two grips  30 , the user can apply a force on the two grips  30  to twist and bend the tension spring  10  so as to achieve an exercising effect to the user&#39;s two hands and chest. However, the tension of the tension spring  10  is fixed and cannot be adjusted according to the user&#39;s requirement. In addition, when the tension spring  10  is bent and twisted, gaps are produced between the elastic rings  12  of the tension spring  10  so that the user is easily clipped or jammed by the gaps between the elastic rings  12 , thereby danger to the user. Further, the tension spring  10 , the two support tubes  20  and the two grips  30  are fixed so that the twist bar has a fixed structure and cannot be detached when not in use, thereby causing inconvenience in and decreasing the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the twist bar. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a twist exercising device, comprising two handle units and a plurality of elastic bars detachably mounted between the two handle units. Each of the two handle units includes a housing for mounting the elastic bars and a locking member movably mounted on the housing and releasably locked onto the elastic bars to releasably lock the elastic bars onto the housing. The housing of each of the two handle units has an end face provided with a plurality of slots to allow insertion of the elastic bars. Each of the elastic bars has two opposite ends each provided with a plug insertable into a respective one of the slots of the housing of each of the two handle units and releasably locked by the locking member of each of the two handle units. 
     According to the primary objective of the present invention, the number of the elastic bars mounted between the two handle units can be changed freely so as to adjust the tension of the elastic bars according to the user&#39;s requirement. 
     According to another objective of the present invention, the elastic bars are mounted on and detached from each of the two handle units easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the twist exercising device. 
     According to a further objective of the present invention, the elastic bars are spaced from each other, and each of the elastic bars is an elongate sheet plate so that the elastic bars will not clip or jam the user during operation so as to protect the user&#39;s safety. 
     According to a further objective of the present invention, the elastic bars can be detached from the two handle units when not in use, thereby facilitating and decreasing the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the twist exercising device. 
     Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a twist exercising device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a locally enlarged perspective view of the twist exercising device as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the twist exercising device as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a top cross-sectional view of the twist exercising device as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic operational view of the twist exercising device as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic operational view of the twist exercising device as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a twist exercising device in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a twist exercising device in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a conventional twist bar in accordance with the prior art. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and initially to  FIGS. 1-5 , a twist exercising device in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises two handle units  1  and a plurality of elastic bars  2  detachably mounted between the two handle units  1 . 
     Each of the two handle units  1  includes a housing  11  for mounting the elastic bars  2 , a locking member  12  movably mounted on the housing  11  and releasably locked onto the elastic bars  2  to releasably lock the elastic bars  2  onto the housing  11 , an elastic member  13  mounted in the housing  11  and biased between the housing  11  and the locking member  12 , a first cover  14  mounted on the housing  11  to cover the locking member  12 , a second cover  15  mounted on the housing  11  and combined with the first cover  14  to sandwich the housing  11  between the first cover  14  and the second cover  15  and to limit the locking member  12  between the first cover  14  and the second cover  15 , a resilient grip portion  113  mounted on the housing  11 , and a binding loop  114  mounted on the grip portion  113 . 
     The housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  has an end face provided with a plurality of slots  112  to allow insertion of the elastic bars  2 . Each of the slots  112  of the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  has a periphery provided with two opposite passages  1121 . The housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  has an inner portion provided with an elongate slideway  115  connected to the slots  112  to allow a sliding movement of the locking member  12 . The housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  has a sidewall  111  provided with a receiving groove  116  connected to the slideway  115  to retain the elastic member  13 . 
     The locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  has an elongate shape. The locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  is slidably mounted in the slideway  115  and has a first side provided with a plurality of locking blocks  124  to releasably lock the elastic bars  2  and a second side provided with a drive portion  121  protruding outwardly from the housing  11 . The locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  is provided with a reduced sliding portion  122  slidable in the slideway  115 , and each of the locking blocks  124  extends outwardly from the sliding portion  122  and extends into the slideway  115 . The locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  has an end portion provided with a receiving hole  123  to receive the elastic member  13 . Thus, the drive portion  121  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  is movable toward the elastic member  13  to compress the elastic member  13  and to move and detach each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  from the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2 , so that the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is unlockable from the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1 . 
     The elastic member  13  of each of the two handle units  1  is received in the slideway  115  and has a first end received in the receiving hole  123  of the locking member  12  and a second end received in the receiving groove  116  of the housing  11 . 
     The first cover  14  of each of the two handle units  1  has a surface provided with an exposing slot  141 , and the drive portion  121  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  protrudes outwardly from and is movable in the exposing slot  141  of the first cover  14 . 
     The elastic bars  2  are spaced from each other. Each of the elastic bars  2  has two opposite ends each provided with a plug  21  insertable into a respective one of the slots  112  of the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  and releasably locked by the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1 . The plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is secured on each of the elastic bars  2  by a rivet  22  which is allowed to pass through the passages  1121  of the respective slot  112  of each of the two handle units  1 . The plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  has a periphery provided with a locking groove  211  releasably locked onto a respective one of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1 . The plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  has an end face provided with a substantially arc-shaped push and guide portion  212  that is movable to abut the respective locking block  124  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  when the plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is inserted into the respective slot  112  of the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1 . Thus, the push and guide portion  212  of the plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  presses and moves the respective locking block  124  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  to compress the elastic member  13  of each of the two handle units  1  as shown in  FIG. 5 . In addition, the elastic member  13  of each of the two handle units  1  presses and moves each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  toward the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  when each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  aligns with the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the elastic bars  2  is an elongate sheet plate. Alternatively, each of the elastic bars  2  has a substantially rectangular or circular cross-sectional profile. 
     In assembly of the twist exercising device, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5  with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , when the plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is inserted into the respective slot  112  of each of the two handle units  1 , the push and guide portion  212  of the plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  presses and moves the respective locking block  124  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  to compress the elastic member  13  as shown in  FIG. 5 . Then, when each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  aligns with the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2 , the elastic member  13  of each of the two handle units  1  presses and moves each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  toward the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2 , so that each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  is locked in the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  as shown in  FIG. 4 . Thus, the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is locked onto the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1  so that each of the elastic bars  2  is mounted between the two handle units  1  as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     When in use, after the user&#39;s two hands hold the grip portions  113  of the two handle units  1 , the user can apply a force on the grip portions  113  of the two handle units  1  to twist and bend the elastic bars  2  so as to achieve an exercising effect to the user&#39;s two hands and chest. 
     In detachment of the twist exercising device, referring to  FIG. 6  with reference to  FIGS. 1-3 , the drive portion  121  of the locking member  12  of each of the two handle units  1  is moved toward the elastic member  13  to compress the elastic member  13  and to move and detach each of the locking blocks  124  of the locking member  12  from the locking groove  211  of the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2 , so that the respective plug  21  of each of the elastic bars  2  is unlocked from the housing  11  of each of the two handle units  1 , and each of the elastic bars  2  can be detached from the two handle units  1  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , three elastic bars  2  are mounted between the two handle units  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , two elastic bars  2  are mounted between the two handle units  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , only one elastic bar  2  is mounted between the two handle units  1 . 
     Accordingly, the number of the elastic bars  2  mounted between the two handle units  1  can be changed freely so as to adjust the tension of the elastic bars  2  according to the user&#39;s requirement. In addition, the elastic bars  2  are mounted on and detached from each of the two handle units  1  easily and quickly, thereby facilitating the user assembling and disassembling the twist exercising device. Further, the elastic bars  2  are spaced from each other, and each of the elastic bars  2  is an elongate sheet plate so that the elastic bars  2  will not clip or jam the user during operation so as to protect the user&#39;s safety. Further, the elastic bars  2  can be detached from the two handle units  1  when not in use, thereby facilitating and decreasing the cost of packaging, storage and transportation of the twist exercising device. 
     Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.