Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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WAIST-MOUNTED PARACHUTE DEPLOYMENT AND RETRACTING SYSTEM
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates generally to a waist-mounted parachute
deployment and retracting system for training runners and other athletes. More
particularly, the invention relates to a waist-mounted parachute deployment
and
retracting system for training runners and other athletes that provides the
athletes a method to selectively deploy and retract the parachute during
training
without stopping or breaking stride.
[0002] Runners and other athletes, such as skaters and walkers,
try to
improve strength and speed by training, both continually practicing their
sport of
choice, but also by adding resistance to force muscles to work harder based on
the overload principle. Once the resistance is removed, the athlete may
achieve
an increase in peak performance.
[0003] Many athletes use weights to increase the effort required
for a
particular physical movement to increase speed, strength and endurance. Some
carry hand weights, weighted wrist and ankle straps or wear a vest with
weights.
The weights are localized in effect and stress the joints close to where the
weights are carried or worn. The weights are static, always requiring the same
amount of effort to carry. The user must continue to carry the weights around
to
return them to storage, sometimes long after the workout is complete.
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[0004] Some athletes, particularly runners, use airfoils, sails, or
parachutes to
add resistance as they practice. Once they were used only by sprinters, for
sprint or interval training, and now they are used by distance runners, as
well as
skiers, skaters, and walkers to add air resistance training to their workouts.
The
parachute or airfoil is attached to the athlete's back and billows behind
during
training, creating drag, which the athlete must work harder to overcome. It is
a
dynamic system, because the faster the athlete runs, skates, walks, or moves,
the more resistance the system creates.
[0005] Parachutes and related devices are designed for short intervals,
such
as the straight-away of a track, since they are not beneficial on curves. Most
parachutes or foils do not easily detach or retract and the athlete must halt
training to remove them. Some completely detach by various quick release
mechanisms, but the athlete or trainer is forced to gather the parachute up
and
refold it for storage. Some retract just the cords, leaving the parachute
dangling
behind the athlete.
[0006] While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed,
or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the
present
invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is an object of the invention to produce a system that
selectively
provides resistance in training a user to improve performance. Accordingly, a
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waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting system allows the user to
selectively deploy and retract a parachute that provides resistance to the
user.
[0008] It is another object of the invention to produce a system
that provides
resistance by interval training. Accordingly, a waist-mounted parachute
deployment and retracting system allows the user to selectively deploy and
retract the parachute for periods of time to create intervals of varying
intensity
while exercising without stopping or breaking stride.
[0009] It is a further object of the invention to produce a system
that provides
resistance in training that is deployed and retracted without stopping an
exercise.
Accordingly, a waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting system
allows the user to selectively deploy and retract the parachute while
exercising
by pushing an open button to deploy and a close button to retract.
[00010] It is yet another object of the invention to produce a system that
provides resistance in training that is convenient to use. Accordingly, a
waist-
mounted parachute deployment and retracting system is attached to a belt in a
case worn on a back of a user that retracts the parachute completely and
conveniently so that the parachute does not have to be separately retrieved
and
refolded.
[00011] The invention is a waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting
system for training runners and other athletes that provides a user a method
for
selectively deploying and retracting the parachute during training without
stopping or breaking stride. The parachute provides drag to increase
resistance
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to improve performance by overloading the muscles. The user selectively
deploys the parachute by pressing a button to release and open the parachute.
Air flow created by the user's forward motion flows through a pair of ports on
the
side of a case holding the parachute. The air flow expands the parachute,
causing the cords attaching the parachute to the case to extend and wind a
recoil
mechanism. The user selectively retracts the parachute by pressing a button to
close the parachute and the recoil mechanism rewinds the cords, pulling the
parachute into the case, ready to be deployed again when desired.
[00012] To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention
may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative
only.
Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by
the
scope of the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[00013] In the drawings, like elements are depicted by like reference
numerals.
The drawings are briefly described as follows.
[00014] FIG 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a waist-mounted
parachute deployment and retracting system from the front of the invention.
[00015] FIG 2A is a side elevational view of a user wearing the invention and
beginning the deployment process.
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[00016] FIG 2B is a side elevational view of the user wearing the invention as
it
deploys.
[00017] FIG 2C is a side elevational view of the user wearing the invention
fully
deployed.
[00018] FIG 3A is a side elevational view of a user wearing the invention and
beginning the retracting process.
[00019] FIG 3B is a side elevational view of the user wearing the invention as
it
retracts.
[00020] FIG 3C is a side elevational view of the user wearing the invention
fully
retracted.
[00021] FIG 4 is a cross-sectional view of the waist-mounted parachute
deployment and retracting system from the top, showing a parachute, a recoil
mechanism, and a pair of air channels inside a case.
[00022] FIG 5 is a block diagram illustrating the manner of operation of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[00023] FIG 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a waist-mounted parachute
deployment and retracting system 20 for training runners and other athletes.
The
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system provides a user a method to selectively deploy and retract a parachute
30
during training without stopping or breaking stride. The parachute 30 provides
drag to increase resistance to improve performance by overloading the muscles.
The parachute 30 is in a case 22 attached to a belt that is worn around a
user's
waist. The parachute 30 is anchored by a plurality of cords 32 connected to a
recoil mechanism 40 that has a pair of mainsprings 42. The mainsprings 42
store energy as the cords unwind during deployment of the parachute. The case
22 has a pair of ports 24 facing in a direction same as the user, leading to a
pair
of air channels 26, and an aperture 50 for deploying and retracting the
parachute
30. Air flows into the pair of ports 24 caused by the user's forward motion
and
into the channel 26 forcing the parachute 30 out the aperture once the user
selectively releases the parachute 30. The air flow expands the parachute 30,
causing the cords 32 attaching the parachute 30 to the case 22 to extend and
wind the recoil mechanism. When the user desires to retract the parachute 30,
the cords 32 are selectively retracted by the recoil mechanism 40 using the
energy stored in the mainsprings 42, pulling the parachute 40 through the
aperture 50 for storage in the case 22. The parachute 30 is ready to be
deployed
again when desired and selectively deploying and retracting the parachute 30
is
repeatable as often as desired during a training session to generate an
interval
training routine or to reduce resistance when rounding curves on a track.
[00024] FIG 2A, FIG 2B and FIG 2C demonstrate deployment of the parachute
30 when a user 10 wishes to increase the intensity of a workout by creating
resistance through the drag of the parachute 30. In FIG 2A, the user 10 is
wearing the waist-mounted parachute deployment and retracting system 20
around the waist 12 and as the user 10 is running, he or she selectively
pushes
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an "open" button on the case 22 worn on a user's back 14 at the waist 12.
While
no specific mechanism is described or illustrated, the "open" button releases
the
parachute 30. As would be appreciated by those possessing ordinary skill in
the
art, allowing the parachute to deploy by pressing the "open" button" can be
accomplished in a variety of ways. Among these are selectively locking the
recoil
mechanism so that the cords cannot unwind, and releasing it with the open
button; and selectively blocking air from reaching the parachute until the
open
button is pressed.
[00025]In FIG 2B, the user's 10 forward motion causes air to move through the
pair of ports 24 to inflate and deploy the parachute 30. As previously noted,
one
possible way of allowing the user to control the opening of the chute is to
selectively block the air from reaching the parachute through the ports 24
until
deployment is desired. In FIG 2C, the user 10 continues his or her forward
motion, which now requires more exertion due to the drag of the fully expanded
parachute 30.
[00026] FIG 3A, FIG 3B and FIG 3C demonstrate retraction of the parachute
30 when the user 10 wishes to resume a normal intensity workout, such as when
rounding a curve on a track. In FIG 3A, as the user 10 is running with the
parachute 30 fully deployed, he or she selectively pushes a "close" button on
the
case 22 worn on the athlete's back 14 at the waist 12. The "close" button
allows
the recoil mechanism to retract the chute. The actual linking of the close
button
to the recoil mechanism can be accomplished in a variety of ways. Among these
involves locking the recoil mechanism upon deployment to maintain energy in
the
mainsprings even if tension on the cords decreases, and then selectively
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releasing the recoil mechanism upon pressing the close button. In FIG 3B, the
recoil mechanism pulls the plurality of cords 32 into the case 22, causing the
parachute 30 to deflate and retract through the aperture 50 on the case 22. In
FIG 3C, the user 10 continues his or her forward motion, which now requires
normal exertion without the drag of the fully expanded parachute. The
parachute
is stored inside the case 22, ready to be selectively deployed again when the
user 10 so desires.
[00027] It is understood that the activity described as running includes other
activities involving forward horizontal motion by a user, including for
example, but
not limited to, walking, race walking, skating, and ice skating.
[00028] FIG 5 shows in a block diagram the various steps of the system. The
user selectively pushes the open button on the case 100. The user begins or
continues to run in a forward direction 110. The forward motion pushes air
into
the air ports 120. The air deploys the parachute from the case 130. When the
parachute deploys, it winds the recoil mechanism 140. When the user no longer
wants or needs the added resistance, the user selectively pushes the close
button to close and retract the parachute 150. The recoil mechanism retracts
the
parachute and pulls it back into the case 160. When the user desires the extra
resistance again, he or she pushes the open button on the case 100, and again
the parachute is deployed. The user can thus do interval training or sprints
with
or without the parachute without stopping or breaking stride.
[00029] FIG 1 illustrates the apparatus of the invention in the parachute
deployment and retraction system 20. The case 22 is attached to the belt,
which
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has an adjustable fastener 62 to adjust the belt 60 to various size users. The
case 22 has a top 22T, a front 22F, a back 22B and a pair of sides 22S. On the
top 22T, is a pair of buttons 44, one to selectively open the parachute 30 and
one
to selectively close the parachute 30. On the pair of sides 22T, are the ports
24,
one on each side. The pair of sides 22S taper toward the front 22F to direct
the
air flow from the ports 24 towards the parachute 30. The front of the system
as
illustrated is worn on the athlete's back at the waist, such that the front
22F is
rear-facing during use and opposite the back of the athlete and the back 22 is
adjacent to the athlete's back. In the front is the aperture 50 that provides
an
access through which the parachute 30 selectively deploys and retracts. The
aperture 50 has a plurality of flared side walls 50S to assist the deployment
and
retraction of the parachute.
[00030] Referring again to FIG 4, air flow caused by the user's forward motion
flows through the ports 24, and is forced by the tapered sides 22S of the case
22
into the parachute 30. When the open button is selectively pushed, the
parachute 30 is forced by the air flow to open, and the cords 32 are pulled
away
from the recoil mechanism 40. While no specific mechanism is displayed for
allowing the parachute to open pressing the open button, examples of suitable
mechanisms could present airflow from reaching the chute, selectively block
the
chute from leaving the case, or could prevent the main springs 42 from
rotating.
Any of these techniques and more can be used to cause the parachute to deploy
upon pressing the open button.
[00031] As the cords 32 pull away, they wind the pair of mainsprings 42 in the
recoil mechanism 40, storing energy therein. Preferably, the mainsprings 42
are
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configured to lock when fully open, to store energy therein. The parachute 30
exits the flared aperture 50, fanning out and fully expanding. It is
understood that
the illustration of the parachute 30 in this drawing is not to scale but to
demonstrate the inventive concept. When the parachute 30 is no longer desired,
the close button is selectively pushed to release the recoil mechanism,
allowing
the recoil mechanism 40 to use its stored energy to retract the cords 32 and
pulls
the parachute 30 through the aperture 50 back inside the case 22, ready to be
selectively deployed when next desired.
[00032] In conclusion, herein is presented a waist-mounted parachute
deployment and retracting system for training runners and other athletes. The
invention is illustrated by example in the drawing figures, and throughout the
written description. It should be understood that numerous variations are
possible, while adhering to the inventive concept. Such variations are
contemplated as being a part of the present invention.
