Abstract:
The invention is a resilient exercise grip that has a non-resilient core with a doughy consistency surrounded by an elastic covering. The core consists of a powdery substance, a liquid, a preservative and also contains low-density beads to create a lighter grip. The outer covering may consist of a single thick layer, or a number of thin layers. The resiliency of the grip enables a user to deform the grip and thereby change its shape which quickly and substantially returns to its pre-deformed state.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is in the field of exercising equipment and more particularly is directed to a device to be repeatedly squeezed by a user&#39;s hand. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Small, squeezable hand exercise devices are frequently used to strengthen one&#39;s grip, relieve stress, or provide amusement. One type of such device includes a balloon-like covering enclosing a deformable filler material that provides resistance to squeezing. Previous devices of the type provide varying tactile sensations. The filler material in a device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,923 (Rosenberg) employs a mixture of starch and a saturated saline solution. This mixture provides interesting physical characteristics for an amusement device. The deformed device will apparently return to its undeformed state when not being squeezed, but at a rate that is slow for an exercise device. Also, a comfortable sized hand grip containing such a filler is rather heavy. Other prior art (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,350,342 (Scatterday)) teaches the use of dry filler materials such as sand, oatmeal, beans, or millet with a dry lubricant. The particles shift during compression and provide the user with a different sensation than that of the Rosenberg patent. The filler material is not resilient, and the device does not return to its pre-compression shape when released. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved grip that the user squeezes in one hand and has an elastic covering enclosing a filler material. The grip provides a resilient characteristic such that when the user stops compressing the grip, it quickly returns to at least about 90% the shape it had prior to compression. To achieve this resilient characteristic, the grip comprises a core containing a mass of a doughy consistency contained in an elastic covering. The mass includes a powdery substance, such as starch, a liquid, such as water, and a preservative, such as salt. Beads, such as expanded rigid polystyrene plastic, such as that sold under the trademark STYROFOAM, having a lower density than the powder/liquid/preservative mixture, decrease the weight of the core. The combination provides an excellent exercise device that has a desired &#34;feel&#34; and is durable. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device being held in a user&#39;s hand 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 1 being squeezed by the hand. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 after the compression shown in FIG. 2 has ceased. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In a non-deformed state, the grip 2 has a generally spherical shape, as shown in FIG. 1. It is sized to comfortably fit in a user&#39;s palm 4 and preferably weighs from three to five ounces. As can be seen from the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4, the grip 2 includes a core 6 that is surrounded by an elastic covering 8 such as a plurality of balloons 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18. 
     The core of the grip 6 is essentially non-resilient and is formed from a mixture 20 of powder, liquid, and a preservative (&#34;the mixture&#34;) having a doughy consistency. The core 6 also contains small beads 22 which have a lower density than the mixture 20 thereby advantageously decreasing the weight of the grip 2 compared to a core comprised entirely of the mixture 20. A preferred embodiment of the contents of the mixture 20 includes starch, water, and salt, and expanded rigid polystyrene plastic, such as that sold under the trademark STYROFOAM, beads. The doughy mixture 20 is preferably made by mixing equal parts of starch, salt, and boiling water. The hot water contributes to the thorough combining of the salt and the starch. The proportions specified create a dough that is not runny but is easily squeezed into a different shape by the user&#39;s hand. The mixture 20 is mixed with the beads 22, but still retains its doughy consistency. The ratio of the volume of the mixture 20 to the beads 22 is about 1:1, but may be altered to attain the desired weight of the grip 2. The core 6 may be comprised of any materials having a similar viscosity, weight, and frictional characteristics to the mixture 20 described above. 
     Each of the balloons 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 is very thin and is preferably round in shape when inflated. As the core material 6 is inserted, the balloon 10 stretches to retain a spherical shape although other shapes can be used. To allow for the insertion of the core 6, each balloon includes a single hole 24. The exterior surface of balloon 18 may be textured to facilitate the grasping of the grip 2 and to improve user comfort. 
     To construct the grip 2, the dough like core 6 is inserted through hole 24 of the first balloon 10. The entering material 6 stretches the balloon in a manner somewhat similar to when water is forced into a balloon to make a water balloon. Sufficient material is inserted to create a round core 6 that has a diameter of approximately two and one-quarter inches. The grip can be made larger or smaller than that, but that size is convenient for most people. Once the first balloon 10 has been filled, the single wrapped core 6 is then inserted through hole 24 of the second balloon 12 thereby causing it to stretch to a similar diameter. During the latter insertion process, the hole 24 in the balloon 10 is located so that it is spaced approximately ninety to one-hundred-eighty degrees apart from the hole 24 in the encircling balloon 12. This procedure is then repeated with the remaining balloons 14 and 16 until the grip&#39;s core 6 is enveloped by a plurality of balloons, preferably four. Once the core 6 has been inserted within the final balloon 16, glue is placed around the perimeter of hole 24 of balloon 16 to fix the surrounding of the hole 24 to the underlying balloon 14. 
     It should be noted that in receiving the core 6, each succeeding balloon is stretched, thereby causing a constant inward force to be exerted on the core by the balloons. In this manner, the balloons urge the grip to assume the shape the balloons originally had. 
     In an alternate mode of manufacture, the core material 6 is first placed within a balloon 10. The enveloped core is then dipped into molten rubber to thereby form an outer resilient layer that does not have an opening. 
     In another alternate mode of manufacture, the core can be received within a single, thick balloon (not shown) that is then plugged to prevent the escape of the core material. The covering is resilient and is round in an undeformed state. 
     The core 6 made of the mixture 20 and beads 22 provides a device with unique characteristics and capabilities. When the pliable grip 2 is initially deformed by a user&#39;s hand with a moderate amount of squeezing force, the user must overcome the core&#39;s resistance to deformation and cause the resilient covering to stretch. When the user ceases compressing the grip 2, the balloons readily and substantially resume a spherical, inflated shape, that is, at least about 90% of the original shape. In this manner, the grip 2 is resilient. 
     In FIG. 1, the grip 2 is shown prior to deformation and as such, it has a substantially spherical shape. It is being held in a user&#39;s hand 4 atop the palm portion of the hand. The user is exerting no pressure on the grip. 
     FIG. 2 shows the grip 2 at a point when the user&#39;s fingers and palm have deformed its shape. The grip 2 has become compressed into a disc shape (labeled 2&#39;) and depressions have been formed on its surface that partially receive/surround the contacting portion of the user&#39;s fingers. At the stage shown, the user&#39;s hand 4 is still exerting a compressive pressure on the grip 2. 
     FIG. 3 shows the next stage wherein the user&#39;s hand 4 has relaxed and is no longer exerting compressive forces on the grip 2. The grip 2 has readily sprung back to most of its original shape. The phantom lines show the previously deformed shape of the grip 2&#39;. The user can now apply compressive pressure to the grip 2 and mold it again. 
     FIG. 4. shows a cross-sectional view of the invention with the core 6 visible with the mixture 20 and beads 22. 
     The embodiment disclosed herein has been discussed for the purpose of familiarizing the reader with the novel aspects of the invention. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, many changes, modifications and substitutions may be made by one having ordinary skill in the art without necessarily departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described in the following claims.