Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus that provides movements and resistance similar to prior devices requiring significantly longer ropes by providing ropes that are connected to sliders on sliding tubes, wherein the resistance to upward and downward movement of the sliders can be adjusted as desired by a user to create.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates generally to exercise devices, and more particularly, to exercise devices utilizing ropes in connection therewith. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Currently, there are numerous types of conditioning ropes on the market. Conditioning ropes come in different materials, sizes and colors. Conditioning ropes can also be made with plastic, rubber or metal handles for gripping. Different attachments can be connected to current conditioning ropes such as carabineers or d-rings. Although these ropes exist, they require a significant amount of space, due to the length of rope required, in order to generate the desired torque resistance necessary to meet the desired training requirements. 
         [0003]    More specifically, typically, conditioning ropes come in lengths of 15 ft., 30 ft., 40 ft., 50 ft. or 100 ft. and in diameters of either 1.5 in or 2 in. This means that a large amount of space is needed to use the ropes for exercise. For example, if one were to use a 50 ft rope, they would need at least 25 ft of space to use. In any public or private training facility, this can be very inconvenient and can limit the ability to use the conditioning rope. Accordingly, there is a need for a conditioning rope-type exercise machine that provides the benefits of conventional rope conditioning while not requiring the amount of space needed to utilize the machine. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus that provides the same motion and uses as prior art conditioning ropes, while limiting the space needed to perform exercises using the previously mentioned ropes. The disclosure provides a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus that provides improvement to a user&#39;s overall health and fitness. More specifically, the present disclosure provides a rope-type conditioning apparatus that requires only a relatively small amount of space in comparison to prior art rope conditioning equipment and apparatuses. 
         [0005]    In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus that provides multiple levels of difficulty and may include adjustment mechanisms to mimic different lengths and sizes of conditioning ropes. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the adjustment mechanisms may include ways of varying resistance on the rope-type conditioning apparatus including, but not limited to, through the use of weights, friction, resilient cords, etc. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with the present disclosure; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a front elevational view of a portion of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a portion of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of a portion of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a front elevational view of the portion of the rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a side elevational view of a portion of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus in accordance with aspects of the disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a side perspective view of a handle having a removable weight thereon for use in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a side perspective view of the handle of  FIG. 8  showing the weight removed. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, as best shown in  FIG. 1 , a rope-type conditioning apparatus  10  comprises at least one sliding tube  12 , at least one slider  14 , and at least one rope  16  connected thereto. It should be recognized that while the sliding tube  12  is referred to as a “tube” herein, the sliding tube  12  may be comprised of a rail, rod, etc., of practically any shape, size, construction, etc. The important aspect for the construction of the sliding tube  12  herein to be operable in accordance with the present disclosure is that it be capable of being mounted in a generally vertical manner and that it be shaped such that the slider  14  may be mounted for sliding movement thereon with the rope  16  connected thereto. The tube  12  may include a stopper  18  on the ends thereof to provide a cushioned stop for movement of the slider  14  during operation. 
         [0016]    The sliding tube  12  is preferably mounted generally vertically on or in a frame  20 , although it may be direct mounted on a wall, floor, etc. In accordance with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , the slider  14  may be provided with a mounting flange  22  for securely receiving one end of the rope  16  therein. The rope  16  may be secured therein with fasteners  24  such as screws, bolts, etc. or any other manner as is known in the art. The flange  22  may include an upper mount  26  and a lower mount  28  for securely receiving a first end  29  of an elastic band  30 . A second end  31  of elastic band  30  may be secured to a mount  32  positioned on an upper portion  34  of the frame  20  or may be directly attached to a lower portion  36  the frame  20 . In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the slider  14  may be provided with a bearing  38 , such as a ball bearing, to facilitate sliding of the slider  14  on the tube  12 . In alternate embodiments, carriages including wheels, Teflon, low-friction surfaces, etc. may be used as desired. 
         [0017]    As seen best in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, the rope  16  may be secured to the slider  14  by a hinge mechanism  40 . The hinge mechanism  40  may include a collar  42  for securely receiving the rope  16  therein and the rope  16  may be secured to the collar  42  by screws, bolts, crimping, etc. or other securement methods as are known to those of ordinary skill in the art using through bores  74 . A pivot  44  may be provided on the collar  42  for pivotably receiving an arm  46  on one end thereof. A pivot  48  may also be provided on the slider  14  for pivotably receiving another end of the arm  46  thus providing a double pivot for the rope  16 . The use of a double pivot such as this, while not required, increases the freedom of movement of the rope  16  when being used. Conversely, however, a design having a single pivot, or no pivot (such as shown in the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2 ,  6  and  7 ) is operable within the scope of the disclosure. The slider  14  may be provided with a seat  50  for receiving weights  52  (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) thereon to provide adjustability to the workout. The weights  52  may be provided with bores  54  therethrough to receive an adjustment pushpin  53  to secure the weights  52  to the slider  14  through corresponding bores  56  therethrough in a manner known in the art for exercise and conditioning equipment. 
         [0018]    As best shown in  FIG. 1 , the sliding tube  12  may be provided with through bores  72  for receiving pushpin  70 . Pushpin  70  may thus be used as a stop to prevent weights  52  from falling onto the slider  14 . Alternatively, pushpin  70  can operate as a stop to restrict movement of the slider  14  on the tube  12 , both above and below slider  14 . 
         [0019]    As best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the rope  16  may be provided with gripping handle  60  on the end of the rope  16  not connected to the slider  14 . As with the slider  14  above, the end of the rope  16  may be secured in the gripping handle  60  in any manner known in the art including the use of screws  62 . In order to add adjustability to the workout, the gripping handle  60  may be provided with adjustable weights  64 . The adjustable weights  64  may be secured to the handle  60  in any known manner including through the use of threads  66  provided on the base portion  65  of the handle  60  to receive corresponding threads (not shown) on the interior portion of the weights  64 . It is to be understood, however, other methods of securing the weights  64  to the handle  60  are operable and considered within the scope of the disclosure. 
         [0020]    In accordance with alternate embodiments of the disclosure, the rope  16  may have a poly boot handle on one side of the rope  16  and a crimped metal tube  70  on the other. The metal tube  70  may have at least one hole drilled through it (not shown) so that the rope  16  can attach thereto in the manner described above. It is to be understood, in accordance with the disclosure, there are many ways that resistance and/or weight may be added to the slider  14  in order to change and/or modify the desired exercise. Non-limiting examples of the foregoing include, but are not limited to, weights, friction devices (including selectable friction devices), resistance bands, gearing, etc., as is known in the art of fitness equipment. 
         [0021]    In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a user may use the rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus  10  as follows. The user may first decide the amount of resistance she desires. The resistance can be adjusted by pulling the pushpin  53  from the desired weight  52  then sliding it onto the seat  50  of the slider  14  and pushing the pushpin  53  into the weight bore  54  and corresponding bores  56  on the seat thereby securing the weight(s)  52  to the slider  14 . The user may then grab the handles  60  on the conditioning rope  16  and perform the exercise they desire. At any time, weights  52  can added for more resistance, or removed for less resistance. As mentioned before, the weights  52  also mimic various rope  16  sizes so the user can perform the correct intended exercises. Similarly, exercise can be performed with the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5  by connecting various elastic bands  30  to the slider  14  through the mounts  26  on the slider  14  and to a fixed end either on the frame  20 , such as the mount  32 , or to the frame  20  itself, or to another fixed point. As is known in the art, carabiners  33  may be used for this purpose. 
         [0022]    In accordance with some aspects of the present disclosure, the disclosure may be modified in the following exemplary, non-limiting, ways without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, the hinge mechanism  40  may be replaced with a welded tube to hold the conditioning rope  16 . Similarly, the sliding tube  12  may be made of any material and could be made straight or curved. The weights  52  may be attached to the slider  14  in many different ways are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. The frame  20  may be free standing as shown, wall-mounted, part of a different piece of equipment, door-mounted, etc. The conditioning rope  16  may have any sort of handle  60 , such as a plastic or metal handle, to perform different exercises. In addition, a seat or bench may be incorporated so the user can sit in order to exercises specific parts of the body. 
         [0023]    A non-limiting, exemplary description of how the rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus  10  of the present disclosure may be fabricated is as follows. Initially it is noted that standard injection molding and fabrication techniques, as would be known to those of ordinary skill in the art, may be used. The rope  16  may be fabricated like typical conditioning ropes. A rubber or plastic handle may be placed over one end of the conditioning rope  16 , then a metal crimping process may be used to attach a metal end to the other end of the rope  16 . All metal parts, including the bearing mechanisms, sliding tubes, weights, and frame  20  components may be fabricated and welded as customary. All screws, bolts, and other hardware for the utilized may be fabricated in ways that are typical to the making these pieces. 
         [0024]    The rope-type conditioning/exercise apparatus of the present disclosure may be used in multiple fields. Fields include, but are not limited to, the medical field, health and fitness field, outdoor games field, social games field, and arcade field. 
         [0025]    It will be appreciated that the foregoing description provides examples of the disclosed apparatus and method. However, it is contemplated that other implementations of the disclosure may differ in detail from the foregoing examples. All references to the disclosure or examples thereof are intended to reference the particular example being discussed at that point and are not intended to imply any limitation as to the scope of the disclosure more generally. All language of distinction and disparagement with respect to certain functions is intended to indicate a lack of preference for those functions, but not to exclude such from the scope of the disclosure entirely unless otherwise indicated. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.