Abstract:
A yoga brick assembly which provides a secured internal storage area and improved grip system which also functions to secure the yoga brick assembly. The yoga brick assembly includes a top section and a bottom section each containing parallel recessed grooves for accommodating the grip system. The sections are joined together along a planar face and are releasably attached via the grip system. Preferably, the bottom section includes a cavity which can be used to store a user&#39;s personal items. The grip system includes two straps which are placed in the parallel recessed grooves and surround the sections and are secured at each end.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The invention relates to the field of exercise, sports and training equipment, and more particularly to a yoga brick assembly for yoga poses and exercise routines. Yoga bricks are known in the art of yoga and have multiple uses. Such bricks or blocks are typically used to achieve better form or stability while performing a yoga stance or routine. 
         [0002]    Common yoga bricks are typically made of a foam material, bamboo or cork. The bricks are used in yoga classes which often enroll 20 or more students. The majority of yoga facilities do not provide secure locker or storage areas. in most instances, open cubby holes are all that is provided to students to store their valuables. Expectedly, some valuables end up being stolen or mistakenly taken by other yoga patrons. It is thus desirable to provide a yoga brick that can securely store a user&#39;s personal items. 
         [0003]    In addition, with the advent of “Hot” yoga, the majority of yoga facilities raise the interior temperature of the yoga exercise studio to intensify the workout experience. This understandably causes yoga students to profusely sweat during a yoga session making the handling of a yoga brick with one hand, while supporting a person&#39;s entire body weight, a slippery and potentially injurious endeavor. 
         [0004]    It is thus desirable to provide a yoga brick which overcomes the preceding disadvantages. As such, the present invention seeks to provide a yoga brick with an improved grip system that provides a frictional surface portion. The present invention also seeks to provide a yoga brick with an internal cavity for storing a student&#39;s personal belongings. The top and bottom sections of the present invention are secured together by the two straps forming the grip system. These and further objects will be more readily appreciated when considering the following disclosure and claims. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    A yoga brick assembly is provided for improving the frictional grip when used by a student. The assembly contains a top and bottom section which are releasably and planarly attached. Both the top and bottom sections include corresponding and parallel recessed grooves which encircle the outer surfaces of the yoga brick assembly. The straps comprising the frictional grip assembly are positioned inside the grooves, wrapped around the entire block and fastened on the front side of the block so as to maintain a flush interaction with the yoga brick assembly. 
         [0006]    Additionally, the yoga brick assembly can be used to securely store a student&#39;s personal belongings. In the preferred embodiment, the yoga brick assembly comprises a top section and a bottom section each having a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners. The bottom face of the top section is in planar relationship to the top face of the bottom section. The bottom section has a deeper configuration in relation to the top section and contains a cavity for storing personal items. The top and bottom sections are releaseably joined by the frictional grip assembly. The grip assembly is secured to the recessed grooves in the top and bottom sections. The grip assembly is releaseably joined on one side of the yoga brick assembly to allow separation of the top and bottom sections while providing a hinged connection for the opposite side of the yoga brick assembly. 
         [0007]    The cavity of the bottom section can be configured in one of multiple configurations to allow the securing of personal items. The cavity may comprise a foam insert which can receive and conform around personal items such as cell phones, car keys, and sunglasses and prevent the movement of the stored personal items during rigorous use of the yoga brick assembly. The personal items placed in the foam of the bottom section would be further secured by a lip portion extending from the bottom of the top section and compresses the personal items when positioned into the top of the bottom section upon closing the yoga brick assembly. The cavity may also comprise an enclosed storage container which can be completely removed from the cavity, filled with personal items, and re-inserted into the cavity for secure storage. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front isometric view of an exemplary yoga brick assembly of the invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the exemplary yoga brick assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the separated top and bottom blocks of the yoga brick assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a back view of the separated top and bottom blocks of the yoga brick assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of an exemplary yoga brick assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a top view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the closed top and bottom blocks with emphasis on the grooves of the yoga brick assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    Turning to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , there is shown a view of an exemplary yoga brick assembly  10  of the present invention, with  FIG. 1  being a front isometric view,  FIG. 2  being a side view,  FIG. 3  being a top view of an opened yoga brick assembly,  FIG. 4  being a rear view of the yoga brick assembly  10  of  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 5  being a cross sectional view of the interior of the of the present invention. The yoga brick assembly  10  has a top section  12 , a bottom section  14 , a front  16 , left and right sides  18  and  20 , a top surface  22 , a bottom surface  24  and a back surface  26 . The top and bottom sections,  12  and  14 , respectively also include two recessed grooves  28  which are positioned parallel along the outer surfaces of the top and bottom sections,  12  and  14 . In the preferred embodiment, the top section  12  includes a bottom face  13  and the bottom section  14  includes a top face  15  which surrounds a cavity  46  as seen in  FIG. 3 . The top section  12  and bottom section  14  each have a generally rectangular shape with rounded corners. The bottom face  13  of the top section  12  is in planar relationship to the top face  15  of the bottom section  14 . The bottom section  14  has a deeper configuration in relation to the top section  12  and contains a cavity  46  for storing personal items. The top and bottom sections  12 ,  14  are releasably coupled by a frictional grip assembly  32 . 
         [0016]    The frictional grip assembly  32  includes at least two straps  34  having a rough finish to provide a frictional grip to the user. The straps  34  are preferably secured in the grooves  28  and include a first end  36  and a second end  38 . The first ends  36  are secured within the grooves  28  on the front surface  16  of the bottom section  14 . The first ends  36  include a connections means  40  and are releasably attached to the second end  38  which includes the corresponding connection means  42  as seen in  FIG. 2 . The connection means  40  and  42  can include, but are not limited to, such Velcro type hook and loop fasteners, snap buttons, magnets or such complementary joining sides, to securely interlock the top  12  and bottom  14  sections. 
         [0017]    The straps  34  originate at a first end  36  which include a connection means  40  and encircle the bottom section  14  along the front surface  16 , the bottom surface  24 , the back surface  26  and along the top surface  22 . The straps  34  are secured to the grooves  28  by means which may include glue, rivets or such fastening means to secure the straps  34  within the grooves  28 . The straps  34  include second ends  38  of the straps  34  which are releasably attached to the connection means  40  of the first end  36 . The second ends  38  are left unsecured to the grooves  28  and include overlapping portions  44 . The overlapping portions  44  include corresponding connection means  42  which are releasably attached to the connection means  40  of the first end  36  of the straps  34 . As viewed in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the grip assembly  32  is also slightly detached on the back surface  26  of the yoga brick assembly  10  for providing a hinged connection  45  for the back surface  26  of the yoga brick assembly  10  to facilitate the opening and closing of the top and bottom sections  12 ,  14 . 
         [0018]    When straps  34  are securely attached at the first end  36  and second ends  38 , the yoga brick assembly  10  is ready for use by a student. As referenced above, the straps  34  may be made of a variety of materials and configurations such as, by way of example, braided canvas, cotton or hemp to provide a frictional grip to the user. The recessed grooves  28  permit the straps  34  to remain flush along the front  16 , bottom  24 , back  26  and top  22  surfaces of the yoga brick  10 . 
         [0019]    In general, yoga bricks undergo a tremendous amount of abuse by a user. The bricks are not only used to support the entire body weight of the user, but are also routinely repositioned, dropped or moved for other various reasons. It is thus inherent that the two section yoga brick assembly  10  of the present invention function in as stable a fashion as a solid yoga block known in the art. 
         [0020]    As such and in a preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the bottom section  14  of the yoga brick  10  includes a cavity  46  for securely storing personal items. The top section  12  of the yoga brick  10  includes an extended lip portion  48 . The lip portion  48  extends into the cavity  46  and provides a secured frictional fit between the top section  12  and the top face  15  of the bottom section  14 . The lip portion  48  also extends into the bottom section  14  so as to maintain the personal items stored in the cavity  46  from moving within the yoga brick  10  during exercise. Thus, the frictional fit between the lip portion  48  of the top section  12  and the interior of the top face  15  and cavity  46  of the bottom section  12 , in combination with the straps  34  encircling the outer surfaces of the yoga brick  10  and securely fastened at the first end  36  and second end  38 , provide a stable and secure yoga brick assembly  10 . 
         [0021]    It is also contemplated in an alternative embodiment of the present invention seen in  FIG. 6 , that a frictional fit between the lip portion  48  of the top section  12  and the top face  15  and cavity  46  of the bottom section  14  will securely fasten the top and bottom sections,  12 ,  14  of the yoga brick assembly  10  notwithstanding the straps  34 . 
         [0022]    As seen in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , the bottom section  14  of the yoga brick assembly  10  further includes interior stabilization means  50  positioned within the area of the cavity  46 . The interior stabilization means  50  may be secured to the surfaces of the cavity  46  by glue, rivets or other securing methods know to one skilled in the art. The interior stabilization means  50  can include such foam type materials which conform to the shape of the personal items stored in the cavity  46 . The foam type materials can include, but are not limited to, polyurethane, urethane, evlon, high resilience, supreem, or memory foam. 
         [0023]    The personal items placed in the interior stabilization means  50  of the cavity  46  are further held in place by the lip portion  48  of the top section  12 . The Hp portion  48  may further include a soft foam layer  52  which upon closing of the top section  12  and the bottom section  14 , the foam layer  52  will further secure and stabilize the personal items placed in the interior stabilization means  50  of the cavity  46 . 
         [0024]    As viewed in  FIG. 6 , an alternative embodiment of the present invention includes a removable container  54  positioned in the cavity  46 . The container  54  would have dimensions providing a tight and stable fit inside cavity  46 . The container  54  includes a hinged lid  56  which can be opened to store personal items. The lip portion  48  and the foam layer  52  of the top section  12  is positioned atop the container  54  stably securing the container  54  inside cavity  46 . 
         [0025]    The yoga brick assembly  10  is preferably constructed of a weight-bearing, shape sustaining materials. The yoga brick  10  can be made from closed-cell EVA foam or similar lightweight, dense, and supportive substances or materials including, but not limited to, bamboo, cork and wood, impact resilient plastics or composites. The yoga brick  10  preferably is nine inches long, six inches wide and four inches high. However dimensions ranging from eight to ten inches long, four to seven inches wide, and three to six inches high are contemplated within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0026]    Although embodiment of the invention have been shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications, substitutions, and rearrangements of parts and components, as well as other uses, shapes and sizes of yoga bricks, can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described.