Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Upper Body Exercise Apparatus, Method and System.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus, method and system for a human
individual to exercise his body in a novel manner wherein the user, when he is
in the
prone position, is able to move one or both of his arms, while holding the
instant
apparatus placed on a relatively flat surface, in all three planes of human
motion
simultaneously; i.e. sagittal, frontal and transverse planes.
In the prior art, a plethora of devices have focused on prone position
exercise devices;
i.e. push-up assist devices that allowed users a greater range of vertical
motion by
lifting the users hands some distance off of the ground on a stable surface,
while other
devices made some further improvements by further allowing only arm rotation
or
twisting, while the user was doing a push up with the aforesaid devices, said
improved
device being limited by being stationary or immobile on a flat surface, and
only
permitting the user to twist said user's arm's while doing a push-up,
positioning as
disclosed in Hauser, Friedman, Mills series of patents, US7238147, US7468025,
US7553267, US D579503, US D597153, US D599417; i.e. the device itself was
fixed to the
floor or flat surface by the weight of the user and friction, unable to slide
across the flat
surface in any direction, simultaneously while the user was holding the device
in his
hands.
1
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and
requirements, the
aforementioned patents did not describe an upper body exercise and physical
conditioning device that is described herein by the instant application. This
instant
invention allows a user to move his arms in a novel manner, i.e. the user can
position
his hands on the device (in any manner) and then move his arms in all three
planes of
human motion (sagittal, frontal and transverse planes), whether in one plane,
or more
than one plane at the same time, while the device is free to slide in an
infinite number of
directions while placed on the floor, and while the user is bodily in the
prone position.
This permits the exercise of numerous additional groups of muscle groups
compared to
that of the prior art. The instant invention also the exercise of, and the
resultant
improvement in, a user's upper body's joints ranges of motion, thereby
improving the
user's joint flexibility. In addition, the invention's structural geometric
arrangement
allows for rigid, secure and yet a simple and lightweight design. The instant
application improves upon the prior art, with an apparatus, method and system
that
allows for user's arms to move in the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes
of human
motion simultaneously. None of the prior art has allowed for this broad range
of
exercise versatility in a single device. Some of the muscle groups that may be
exercised
by this novel device include, but are not limited to, pectoral major, pectoral
minor,
abdominals, triceps, and deltoids. The instant invention further allows for
arm flexion,
extension, internal and external rotation, adduction and abduction. The prior
art was
not capable of exercising as many muscles, joints and ranges of human motion,
at one
time, with a single system.
Further, the devices in the prior art generally had more moving parts than the
instant
invention, which made them more difficult and expensive to manufacture and
would
increase their chances for failure. The applicant's instant invention solves
all of these
aforesaid problems and limitations in the prior art by fabricating the device
with strong,
2
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
resilient and flexible materials, including, but not limited to injection
molded plastics,
and using high hertz contact strength bearing configurations at the interface
of
stationary (base) and moving parts (spherical rolling balls one in each recess
in said -
non-rolling base), said bearings being either friction bearings wherein the
stationary
base surface and/or the rolling spherical balls which move relative to one
another
comprise self-lubricating composite materials, or said bearings being
configured as an
anti-friction type wherein the sliding friction between the stationary base
and the
rotating ball surfaces is replaced with primarily rolling friction (although
some sliding
friction may exist) by placing a plurality of cylindrical or spherical rollers
with axles
mounted in cradles in the recesses in the stationary base and said rollers
contacting with
point or line contact, and rolling with spherical ball in each recess in the
base. One of
said solid bearing materials being fabricated of halogen-hydrocarbon-polymers.
This
new design is structurally simpler than the prior art, thereby making it
easier to use,
and substantially more simple and less costly to manufacture and maintain.
Therefore,
the applicant's instant invention solves these aforesaid problems and
limitations.
It can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a upper body
exercise
apparatus, method and system, which serves to exercise the largest grouping of
human
body muscle groups, than any other apparatus, method or system disclosed in
the prior
art. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the above stated disadvantages inherent in the known types of
devices
now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved upper
body
exercise device. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which
will be
3
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new unique upper
body
exercise device which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the
disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention comprises an apparatus, method and
system that
has a means for a user to grasp said apparatus with his hands (one identical
device in
each of user's hands, or in the alternate the user may choose to grasp only
one device
with one or both of his hands), then since the apparatus has a means for
sliding across
the flat surface it is resting on (said means comprising a plurality of
spherically shaped
balls suitably retained within the base of said apparatus), in any direction
simultaneously, with little or no friction, the user then has the option to
move his arms
together or alternately forward and back in the human sagittal plane, and/or
laterally in
the human frontal plane, and/or through arm sweep rotation motions about a
user's
shoulders in the human transverse plane, or in any possible combination of
these
aforesaid human motions; thereby rendering the user able to exercise his
muscles and
joints in an infinite number of directions, to exercise several muscle groups
and joints
simultaneously. This improves the user's strength and joint range of motion.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of
this
invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be
better
understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be
better
appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that
will be
described hereinafter.
In this respect, before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the invention
in detail, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
the details of
construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the
following
4
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon
which this
disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of
other
structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the
present
invention, as defined in the claims.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel unique
upper body
exercise apparatus, method and system which has all the advantages of the
prior art
upper body exercise devices and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel unique upper
body
exercise device which may be more easily and more efficiently manufactured and
marketed than the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel unique
upper body
exercise device which is fabricated of durable and reliable materials, simpler
design and
less costly to manufacture and maintain.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a novel unique
upper body
exercise device which is susceptible of an even lower cost of manufacture with
regard to
both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low
prices of sale
to the consuming public, thereby making such a device even more economically
available to the buying public, yet with greater capabilities than that
disclosed in the
prior art.
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a novel
unique upper
body exercise device for allowing a person to move their arms while grasping
the
apparatus, in all three planes of human motion (sagittal, frontal and
transverse)
simultaneously, and in any degree of each of these three planes, that the user
so desires,
to achieve the specific results that a particular user wants and needs.
For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the
specific
objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying
drawings and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary
embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to
be
understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be
shown
exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the upper body
exercise
device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of one preferred embodiment of the upper body exercise
device
constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
6
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
FIG. 3 is a plan view of another preferred embodiment of the upper body
exercise
device constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, are the preferred embodiments
of the
upper body exercise device embodying the principles and concepts of the
present
invention.
In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the device has a generally
circular
configuration base (100), in which there is a minimum of three, but in this
case four
spherically shaped balls (101) placed in half spherically or cylindrically
shaped recesses
(one recess for each rolling ball) within the base (100), the balls (101)
being held within
the base (100) by suitable means [said means comprising circular shaped
retaining clips,
a cover plate over the entire bottom of the base with holes cut for the
rolling balls, or the
recess having a reduced diameter interference fit at the very bottom of the
base (102)].
In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the device has a generally
rectangular
configuration non-rolling base (100), in which there is a minimum of three,
but in this
case four spherically shaped rollers (101) placed in half spherically or
cylindrically
shaped recesses within the base (100), the spherically shaped balls (101)
being held
within the base (100) by suitable means [said means comprising circular shaped
retaining clips, a cover plate over the entire bottom of the base with holes
cut for the
rolling balls, or the recess having a reduced diameter interference fit at the
very bottom
of the base (102)]. The aforesaid rolling ball retention means prevent the
spherically
shaped balls from dropping out of the device's base if the device is lifted
off of the floor
by the user. In the preferred embodiments the user grabs the two identical
devices, one
7
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
in each of his two hands using a grab bar (103), said grab bar being mounted
in, and
supported by the two side support side plates (104). Optionally, there may be
a user
brake bar (105) mounted on the grab bar (103), wherein the user may optionally
grab
and then squeeze the brake bar to increase the resistance for the aforesaid
spherical
balls from freely rolling, thereby giving the user greater control of his own
exercise
mobility and resistance training. At the interface of the spherical balls
(101) and the
spherical or cylindrical recesses placed in the base (100) for said balls
(101), is a high
hertz contact stress capable friction or anti-friction type bearing surfaces
(106), said
bearings being either friction bearings wherein the stationary base surface
and/or the
rolling spherical balls which move relative to one another comprise self-
lubricating
composite materials, or said bearings being configured as an anti-friction
type wherein
the sliding friction between the stationary base and the rotating ball
surfaces is replaced
with primarily rolling friction (although some sliding friction may exist) by
placing a
plurality of cylindrical or spherical bearing rollers being mounted in cradles
in the
recesses in the stationary base and said rollers contacting with point or line
contact, and
rolling with spherical ball in each recess in the base (106). Optionally, said
apparatus
has access holes (107) at the bottom of the recesses traversing through the
base to
facilitate removal of the spherical balls and to facilitate cleaning and
maintenance of the
apparatus.
Not illustrated in the drawing, is a brake pad type mechanism suitably linked
to the
brake bar (105), which applies adjustable braking load, as applied by the user
squeezing
the brake bar (105). Said brake bar components being configured to allow the
user to
personally adjust the rate at which the spherical balls may roll in any or all
of the three
directions of human motion; i.e. sagittal, frontal and/or transverse.
8
CA 02812237 2016-04-25
While the present invention has been particularly described, in conjunction
with
preferred embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and
variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the
foregoing
description. For one example, the spherical rollers may be replaced by a
combination
system that provides for the same freedom of three dimensional motions that
the
spherical rollers provide; i.e. cylindrical rollers not mounted directly on
base plate (100),
but rather said four rollers each being mounted on a four fully rotational
discs, with
said discs then being mounted on the bottom of the base plate (100).
9
