Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02528018 2005-12-02
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Docket No. RKE-107PCT
GRIPPING DEVICE
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent
Application No. 60/475,622 filed on June 4, 2003 which is incorporated
herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to a gripping device that
removably binds onto a user's wrist and that is especially adapted to
enable the user to grip onto an exercise device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has long been known that for individuals who have limited
mobility of their limbs, regular exercise can provide significant benefits.
Such individuals, who may have suffered a spinal injury, stroke, multiple
sclerosis (MS), muscular dystrophy (MD), or other similar injury or
disorder that impairs mobility (either temporarily or permanently), may
also find that their impairments can even present significant obstacles to
exercising other relatively unaffected body parts.
Regular movement of all major body parts has been shown to be
necessary to promote the comfort, health and general well-being of
individuals suffering from such disabilities. A failure to do so can have
painful, even unhealthful and dangerous consequences. For example,
immobility tends to lead rapidly to stiffened and painful joints and
tendons. In the longer term, atrophy of unused and underused muscles
can occur. A greater susceptibility to the formation of blood clots has
been demonstrated. Long-term immobility also leads to an overall
deterioration of the cardiovascular system.
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By way of contrast, when impaired limbs are regularly exercised
(e.g., when subjected to repeated manual extensions by a physical
therapist), joints tend to become more flexible, circulation is improved,
the tendency to atrophy is reduced, the heart tends to work more
efficiently, and the patient tends to experience less pain and discomfort.
While the benefit of such exercise is indisputable, it can require
considerable time and effort of both the afflicted individual and the
assistant (therapist or volunteer).
The problem is that many types of exercise equipment require a
user to hold onto the handles of the machine. For users that have an
injury or disorder that impairs mobility (either temporarily or
permanently) of their hands, they often can't hold onto the handles, and
thus their impairment can present a significant obstacle to exercising.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, a gripping device that
removably attaches onto a user's wrist to enable the user to grip onto a
handle, comprises a wrist-wrapping, elongated belt portion having
opposite ends and a gripping structure that extends outward from the
plane of the belt portion.
Also according to the present invention, the elongated belt portion
is generally formed from a flexible strip of material. The flexible strip of
material is selected from a material selected from the group comprising
leather, plastic or cloth.
Further, according to the present invention, the gripping structure
has a lower section, an upper section and a free end section. The
gripping structure has a lower section encased in the belt portion.
Still further, according to the present invention, the upper end
section has a centerline Ca-La disposed at an angle a of between 2 and 30
degrees with respect to a centerline C-L extending through the lower end
section of the gripping structure.
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Yet further, according to the present invention, the gripping
stru ctu re
is stiff and relatively rigid. The gripping structure component is formed of
a material selected from the group comprising metal and plastic and can
be adjusted to change the curvature between the upper section and the
lower section.
Also according to the present invention, the free end section of the
gripping device curves from and is of a unitary construction with upper
section and has an end that generally extends in a direction towards the
belt portion.
Still further, according to the present invention, the lower section is
disposed or encased within the flexible strip of material forming the
gripping device.
According to the present invention, there is disclosed a method of
removably attaching a gripping device to a user's wrist to enable the user
to grip onto a handle. The method comprises the steps of: providing a
gripping structure having a wrist-wrapping, elongated belt portion with
opposite ends and a gripping structure including a lower section, an upper
section and a partially curved end section that extends outward from the
plane of the belt portion; and placing the user's hand so that the one side
of the belt portion of the gripping device rests against the user's wrist and
the user's hand extends over the curved end portion.
Also according to the present invention, the method includes the
steps of: wrapping a first end of the elongated belt portion around the
back of the wrist of the user so that a first strip connecting gripping
material is disposed directly on the back of the user's wrist opposite the
palm of the hand; and wrapping a second opposite end of the elongated
belt portion so that a second strip of connecting material overlaps the first
strip and they are locked together.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will be made in detail to preferred embodiments of the
invention, examples of which may be illustrated in the accompanying
drawing figures. The figures are intended to be illustrative, not limiting.
Although the invention is generally described in the context of these
preferred embodiments, it should be understood that it is not intended to
limit the spirit and scope of the invention to these particular embodiments.
Certain elements in selected ones of the figures may be illustrated not-to-
scale, for illustrative clarity. The cross-sectional views, if any, presented
herein may be in the form of "slices", or "near-sighted" cross-sectional
views, omitting certain background lines which would otherwise be visible in
a true cross-sectional view, for illustrative clarity.
The structure, operation, and advantages of the present preferred
embodiment of the invention will become further apparent upon
consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying figures, wherein:
Figure 1 is a top view of the gripping device of the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the gripping device of the present
invention;
Figure 3 is a side view of the gripping device of the present
invention; and
Figure 4 is a three-dimensional view of the gripping device partially
attached to the wrist of a user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a top view of the gripping
device 10. The gripping device 10 includes a wrist-wrapping, elongated
belt portion 12 having opposite ends 14, 16, and a gripping structure 18
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that extends outward, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, from the plane of the
belt portion 12. The belt portion 12 is generally formed from two strips of
flexible strip of material, such as for example, leather, plastic or cloth.
The gripping structure 18 has a lower section 18a, an upper section 18b
and a free end section 18c. The lower end section 18a can be encased
between the two strips of material forming the belt portion 12.
As shown in Figure 3, the upper end section 18b has a centerline
Ca-La disposed at an angle a of between about 2 degrees and 30 degrees
and preferably about 15 degrees and 25 degrees with respect to the
centerline C-L extending through the lower end section 18a of gripping
structure 18. Typically, the gripping structure or component 18 is stiff
and relatively rigid. The upper section 18b projects upward from belt
portion 12 and has a free end section 18c that curves and is of a unitary
construction with upper section i8b. The free end section 18c has a tip
24 that points in a direction towards the elongated belt portion 12 of the
gripping device 10. While the curvature of the gripping component forms
a generally semi-circular shape, the shape could be more or less semi-
circular depending on the preference of the user or the shape of the
handle to which it is engaged. Typically, the gripping component 18 is
constructed of a metal insert disposed or encased within the two strips of
flexible material of the gripping device 10. When the gripping structure
18 is formed of a metal insert, it can be adjusted to change the curvature
between the upper section 18b and the lower end section 18a or the
angle between the free end 18c and the upper section 18b to
accommodate different shaped or sized hands or different shaped or sized
exercise handles. Typically, the radius of curvature r is approximately ~/z
inch to 1 inch and preferably about 3/~. of an inch. While the gripping
component 18 can be formed with a metal insert, it is also within the
terms of the invention to form it of a rigid material such as plastic, and
either cover it or allow it to protrude outward from the belt portion 12 of
the gripping device 10.
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Referring again back to Figure 1, which shows one side 27 of the
gripping device 10, there are disposed two strips 25 and 26 of a gripping
material, such as for example Velcro-type gripping material. On the
opposite side 29 of the gripping device 10, as shown in Figure 2, there are
two additional strips 28, 30 of Velcro-type gripping material.
To attach the gripping device 10 onto a person's hand 30, as shown
in Figure 4, first the person places their hand so that the one side 27 of
the belt portion 12 of the gripping device 10 rests against the user's wrist
and the hand 31 extends over the curved end portion 18c of the gripping
device. Then, the end 16 of the elongated belt portion i2 is wrapped
around the back of the wrist of the user so that the strip 28 of connecting
gripping material is disposed directly on the back of the user's wrist
opposite the palm of the hand. Next, the other end 14 of the elongated
belt portion 12 is wrapped so that the strip 25 of connecting gripping
material overlaps the strip 28 of connecting material and they are locked
together. To more firmly secure the gripping device 10 to the wrist, the
rest of the of the elongated belt portion 12 is wrapped around the portion
of the gripping device 10 that is already secured to the user's wrist so
that the strip 26 of gripping material overlies and is removably affixed to
the strip 30 of gripping material.
In use, a person with a hand that is very stiff or immobile can
attach gripping device 10 onto the handle of a machine such as exercise
devices and thereby be able to operate the machines.
Although the invention has been shown and described with respect
to a certain preferred embodiment or embodiments, certain equivalent
alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon
the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed
drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the
above described components, the terms (including a reference to a
"means") used to describe such components are intended to correspond,
unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the
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specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally
equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed
structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary
embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of
the invention may have been disclosed with respect- to only one of several
embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more features
of the other embodiments as may be desired and advantageous for any
given or particular application.
Docket No. RKE-107PCT 7
