Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an ergonomic exercise grip support device and more
particularly a
portable and attachable/detachable, ergonomically designed winged exercise
grip support, that
attaches to a bar which is used for the purposes of exercise and lifting
weights, while offering an
enhanced wing designed grip, improved support stability, sophisticated
ergonomics and comfort, for
the fingers, hands, wrist, elbows, shoulder, neck, back, torso, knees, ankles
and feet when using the
device in conjunction with exercise and lifting weights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is no point in history that people are more health conscious than the
modern day. Since
the revolutionary invention of the home computer, people have been searching
for ways to not only
stay healthier with proper exercise, but do so in more ergonomically sound
ways, that not only
improve our health with exercise, but do so in a way to help prevent us from
hurting ourselves and
causing injuries in the process of exercise.
One such way people exercise is through joining and becoming members of their
local health
clubs, fitness centers and gyms. One such advantage of these locations is not
only do they offer many
different types of exercise equipment that members may not have access to at
home, but they can offer
professional support to accommodate one's fitness goals. Of course many people
have their own
home gyms, and workout areas, that they fill with their own favorite pieces of
exercise equipment.
One common way people exercise is by lifting weights. By lifting weights one
can not only
develop attractive biceps and the 'six-pack abs' but also even decrease
stress, heart disease and even
some forms of cancer. It is proven that lifting weights can burn more calories
and help shed pounds
of fat. Another great thing with lifting weights, includes being healthier,
which can lead to less stress
in one's life, which obviously can make a person happier in one's life. Some
research has said people
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who lift weights will live longer, be more productive and even smarter. It is
no wonder everyone
wants to include lifting weights as part of their exercise routines.
For those who do lift weights they may find themselves using an assortment of
weight lifting
equipment. Some of this equipment that is well known include free weights,
barbells, Olympic bars,
dumbbells, the bench press and many styles of home gyms to name just a few. In
conjunction with
using these types of weight liffing pieces of equipment, many inventions have
evolved to help aid in
using these devices. Some of these inventions involve gloves and other forms
of devices such as
gripping devices that may attach to the bar being used. Most of these
inventions involve offering the
lifter a better grip of the bar. Prior to some of these devices, and still
used, was chalk or rosin that a
lifter, especially lifting heavier weights, may apply onto their hands for a
better grip. The drawbacks
to these older (but still used) methods of aiding in a better grip are
numerous, not just limited to the
availability of the product. Many such products are not sanitary while others,
like rosin are generally
very messiness. To help aid in improvements many previous patents have been
filed with creative
measures to aid in exercise and weight lifting.
In Canadian Patent, Numbered CA 2,675,537 to Graham and Hartman, is disclosed
an
"Exercise Grip Device" that is used for working out various arm muscles and
can be used as a stand-
alone device for exercising the hand. Although Graham and Hallman disclose a
device that may be
attached to a weight lifting bar, the similarities in functionality and
appearance with that of the present
invention seem to end there.
In United States Design Patent, Numbered US D616,950 to Hersee and Bruggemann,
is
disclosed a "Thick Grip". Although it appears this invention was designed for
the use of fitting over
a bar, the utility of the design is pretentious and vague as to its purpose.
The present invention in no
way resembles this design patent and the many enhanced improvements of the
present invention will
become apparent to one skilled in the art when compared with this design
patent.
In another United States Design Patent, Numbered D474,370 to Margolin, is
disclosed a "Hand
Grip" that also appears to fit over a bar, however, The present invention in
no way resembles this
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design patent and the many enhanced improvements of the present invention will
become apparent to
one skilled in the art when compared with this design patent.
While some previous art has disclosed devices that fit onto an exercise bar,
in yet another
attempt to improve the grip of the user when lifting weights, United States
Patent, Numbered US
5,775,756 to Rozenich, is disclosed a "Secure Gripping System". Rozenich
discloses a wrapping
device that is wrapped around and secured to a bar to replace the use of rosin
or wearing gloves that
can be damaged due to sweat. Although the Rozenich patent does act as an
enhanced grip the
differences in appearance and functionality with that of the present invention
are in no other way alike.
With references to prior art there have been other attempts to disclose
inventions that either
attach to exercise bars, aid in weight lifting for added grip as well as
attaching to bars that are not
weight lifting bars, such as the bar (handle) of a golf club or bicycle
(handle bar), for added grip of a
device one holds with their hands. The most obvious of all prior art patents
in conjunction with that
of the present invention are noted. In United States Design Patent, Number US
D546,659 to Smith,
is disclosed a "Tool Grip". In United States Patent, Number US 5,459,883 to
Garceau-Verbeck, is
disclosed an "Ergonomic Hand Covering and Grip Enhancer". In United States
Patent, Numbered US
8,777,816 to Grafrnan et al, is disclosed a "Bar Grip". In United States
Patent, Numbered US
9,643,073 to Pellegrino, is disclosed an "Exercise Grip". In United States
Patent, Numbered US
9,061,728 to Galstad et al, is disclosed a "Bicycle Handlebar and Grip
Assembly". In United States
Patent, Numbered US 8,776,321 to Doherty et al, is disclosed an "Ergonomic,
Shock-Absorbing Hand
Grip". In United States Patent, Numbered US 8,113,087 to Arnold, is disclosed
a "Bicycle Handle-
Bar Grip", In United States Patent, Numbered US 7,736,284 to Andrews, is
disclosed a "Hand-Grip
Accessory." In United States Patent, Numbered US 4,487,412 to Meeko, is
disclosed "Weight Lift
Grips". While many of these applications involve grips or weight lifting aids,
none of them by
themselves, or collectively, disclose the advantages of the present invention
of a portable and
attachable/detachable, winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support,
that attaches to a bar
which is used for the purposes of exercise and lifting weights while offering
an enhanced grip,
improved support stability and more sophisticated ergonomics and comfort for
the fingers, hands,
wrist, elbows, shoulder, neck, back, torso, knees, ankles and feet when using
the device in conjunction
with exercise and lifting weights.
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It is an aim of the present invention to offer a winged ergonomically designed
exercise grip
support. It is a further aim of the present invention to offer a winged
ergonomically designed exercise
grip support that improves the grip of a weight lifted bar and allows for more
comfort while lifting
weights. It is still a further aim of the present invention to offer a winged
ergonomically designed
exercise grip support that offers superior improvements in regards to proper
alignment when lifting
weights, aligning the lifted weight in one's hands, in an ergonomic way, to
allow for reduced stress
and injuries when weight lifting, to the fingers, hands, wrist, elbows,
shoulder, neck, back, torso,
knees, ankles and feet. It is yet still a further aim of the present invention
to offer a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that further distributes the
weight being lifted over a
greater surface contact area of one's hand, than just the bar itself when
weight lifting in relation to
one's hands holding a lifted bar. Yet it is still a further aim of the present
invention to offer a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that through proper alignment and
enhanced comfort
when lifting weights, as well as distributing weight to a greater surface
contact area, an increased user
ability to perform more repetitions and lift more weight in a lift when
lifting weights with the present
invention. Another aim of the present invention is to offer a winged
ergonomically designed exercise
grip support that is portable as well as attachable and detachable to and from
different pieces of
exercise equipment.
Thus there is a considerable need for the present invention and one skilled in
the art will
continue to understand this need in the following summary and furthermore in
the drawing and
detailed description of the drawing.
CA 2971845 2017-06-27
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to an exercise grip support and more
particularly a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that attaches to a bar, like a
weight lifting bar. More
specifically the present invention is a formed or molded wing designed
exercise grip support that
attaches to a weight lifting bar for the purposes of allowing for enhanced
grip, improved support
stability, more sophisticated ergonomics and comfort with further purposes of
preventing injuries by
allowing for proper alignment of the fingers, hand and wrist when lifting
weights. The present
invention also distributes weight to a greater surface contact area of the
hand which allows for an
increased user ability to perform more repetitions and lift more weight in a
lift, when lifting weights
with the winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support of the present
invention.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention the wing
designed
exercise grip support (also referred to throughout as the winged grip support
or grip support) of the
present invention is manufactured by a mold maker using the process of liquid
mold rubbers that can
be poured to form the present invention. These liquid molded rubbers may also
be called Polyurethane
molded rubbers and used in a variety of industries. Some advantages of
Polyurethane rubber is it is
easy to use, cost effective, versatile, as well as may be produced in a
plurality of degrees of hardness,
from a soft to medium hard rubbers all the way to very hard rubbers. Although
it should be understood
that present invention may be made from different materials that would serve
the desirable purposes
of the present invention found herein, the winged grip support of the present
invention is preferably
made from Polyurethane rubber. In this process a mold maker would fill a
hollowed out block with a
liquid or pliable material, such as Polyurethane rubber, that conforms to the
degree of hardness most
suitable and desired of the present invention. In the preferred embodiment of
the present invention
the desired hardness is known as 60 shore, however, it is understood degrees
of hardness that are
various degrees harder or softer than 60 shore may be used to form the winged
grip support without
taking from the scoop of the present invention. The liquid rubber then hardens
or sets inside the mold,
adopting the shape of the desired object, in this case that of the winged grip
support of the present
invention. The current process may use one, two or more molds, one for each or
different sides of the
object made and advancements in technology, such as 3D printers and the like
may alter the best
process to manufacture the present invention without ever taking from the
scope of the present
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invention. The present invention is molded in such a way to include the key
features of the winged
grip support design, with each feature, or different part, of the winged grip
support playing a part in
making the present invention complete.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
is molded in one
piece. The one piece winged grip support consists of different parts, sections
and features which are
best used to describe and illustrate the winged grip support of the present
invention and also enable
one skilled in the art to fully understand and appreciate the many advantages
of the present invention.
For illustration purposes we have named the different parts, sections and
features of the winged grip
support of the present invention to include a Winged Palm Support, Winged
Thumb Support, Hand
Surface, Slit Clamp, Grip Support Wall, Inside Cylinder and Inside Cylinder
Wall.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
that may be
offered in an assortment of colors comes with a left and right handed winged
grip support. Like many
every day commonly used accessories such as gloves or shoes, whereas one is
specifically designed
for the left hand or foot and the other of the pair for the right hand or
foot, the winged grip support
comes in a pair, one specifically designed for each hand. In the preferred
embodiment the left and
right handed grips are clearly marked with words or letters such as "Left" or
"L" and "Right" or "R"
so it is clearly identified on the winged grip support of the present
invention. More specific details of
how to properly attach the winged grip support will be laid out in the
detailed description.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
is attached to a
bar, and more specifically an exercise style bar, that would be used in
fitness for different kinds of
known lifts in weight lifting and exercise. Some of the more common bars that
the present invention
may attach to are known as free-weights, barbells, Olympic bar, dumbbells,
cables and other bars used
in exercise and weight lifting such as for use of the bench press, weights
with cables, chin-ups and
more. There are many different kinds of bars, including slight variations in
the diameter of weight
lifting bars. For example an Olympic bar is a metal bar that has outer ends
that are 50 millimeters
(2.0 inches) in diameter, while the grip section is 28 millimeters (1.1
inches) in diameter. Although
the winged grip support of the present invention is most commonly molded to
precisely fit the most
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common bar diameters, such as the Olympic bar, it is understood to one skilled
in the art that the
present invention may also come in slight variations in size that would allow
the present invention to
fit onto an assortment of bar sizes of varying degrees in diameter.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
attaches to the
exercise or weight lifting bar in one simple motion. The winged grip support
of the present invention
is formed or molded with a cut line, more specifically referred to as a Slit
Clamp that is either: a)
formed and molded into the mold of the winged grip support or; b) is cut into
place after the
manufacturer has formed and molded the winged grip support. In either process
the winged grip
support of the present invention will have this Slit Clamp which is used to
open the winged grip
support of the present invention so it may be slid onto an exercise or weight
lifting bar and allows the
winged grip support of the present invention to attach to the bar, enabling
the winged grip support and
the bar to be fitted and work together. For illustration purposes if you tried
to attach the center
cardboard tube found in the center of a toilet paper roll to an exercise bar
you could either slide the
tube over the end of the bar, or more easily, you could cut a line down the
length of the cardboard
tube, which would then allow the tube to be pried open and very easily slide
over and onto the exercise
bar. With that simple analogy anyone can now understand the winged grip
support of the present
invention acting like that cardboard tube (but highly more sophisticated) and
the cut line being the Slit
Clamp so the winged grip support of the present invention may now easily be
spread opened, or pried
opened, and easily slide onto an exercise or weight lifting bar. Due to the
fact the present invention
is made from durable rubber it will rather easily open along the length of the
Slit Clamp for the
purposes of easily attaching to the exercise or weight lifting bar. A more
detailed and specific process
of steps of attaching the winged grip support to an exercise or weight lifting
bar will be in the detailed
description but would in its most simplistic form require the steps of: a)
holding the left handed winged
grip support with one or both hands and; b) gently spreading open, or prying
open, the winged grip
support along the Slit Clamp and; c) sliding onto the proper side of the
exercise or weight lifting bar
and over and onto the bar in the normal location you would place your hands
when lifting the bar and;
d) releasing the winged grip support which will enable the winged grip support
to form and be fitted
onto the bar and; e) then slightly adjusting (if need be) the winged grip
support to the desired exact
position on the bar and; 0 repeating steps A to E now but for the right handed
winged grip support.
The entire process of attaching the winged grip supports to the bar for both
the left and right handed
grips, in actual time, takes less than 15 seconds. The winged grip supports of
the present invention
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are detachable in mere seconds by simply using one or both hands and prying
open the Slit Clamp and
pulling the winged grip support from the exercise or weight lifting bar,
making the winged grip
supports of the present invention portable and transferrable between many
different bars even at
different locations such as the home and fitness center.
The winged grip support of the present invention attaches to the exercise or
weight lifting bar
in the exact position one would place their hands to lift the bar if one was
not using the present
invention. A standard Olympic bar is 2.2 meters (7.2 feet) long with the grip
section of the bar 1.31
meters (4.3 feet) in length. There is no specific spot each and every person
uses to grasp or hold the
bar when lifting and this is more an individual preference. If multiple people
were all sharing the
same winged grip support of the present invention, say on a bench press for
instance, they could very
easily grab the winged grip support along the Slit Clamp and slightly pry open
the winged grip support
to slide do their desired location along the length of the bar for each the
left and right handed winged
grip support. In actual time to readjust the winged grip support would take
under 10 seconds. Of
course it is possible each lifter would have their own winged grip support
that is unique, and used by
only them, when in use, which in the preferred embodiment of the present
invention has its own
advantages.
When the winged grip support of the present invention is attached to an
exercise or weight
lifting bar it is attached in a way so that the Winged Palm Support of the
winged grip support is facing
the lifter in a way that when the winged grip support is grasp in one's hand,
the Winged Palm Support
comfortably and ergonomically rests in the palm of the lifters hand. The left
winged grip support's
Winged Palm Support fits into the palm of the left hand of the lifter and the
right winged grip support's
Winged Palm Support fits into the palm of the right hand of the lifter. Of
course there are many
different methods used in lifting. For example in a Dead Lift the lifter lifts
the weights off the floor,
so the winged grip support's Winged Palm Support would be facing upwards (or
slightly upwards and
offset depending on the lift) so that when a lifter bends over or squats to
grab onto the winged grip
supports, that would be attached to the bar, the lifter's left and right hands
would grab onto the winged
grip support in such a way that the lifter's palms of their left and right
hand fit comfortable over the
Wing Palm Support for the left and right handed winged grip support. When
grabbed properly the
feeling of the Winged Palm Support is instantly understood by the lifter as
the Winged Palm Support
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contours and conforms to and with the shape of the palm of the lifter. A first
time lifter would
instinctively understand they are holding the winged grip support properly
because how comfortable
the Winged Palm Support rests into the lifters palm. Of course the winged grip
support's Winged
Palm Support of the present invention would face downwards (or slightly
downwards and offset
depending on the lift) if the lifter was lifting from under the bar in what is
commonly known as squats
or the bench press. In a bench press for example, the lifter is laying or
seated on a bench, like a flat
bench or one that is inclined or declined. So with each different style of
lift the lifter is approaching
the bar from varying degrees with their hands to grasp onto the bar. From
these varying degrees the
winged grip support's Winged Palm Support also rotates around the bar so that
the lifters palms fit
securely and comfortably onto the Winged Palm Supports of the left and right
winged grip supports.
There are numerous different hand held grips lifters use when lifting weights
and one skilled
in the art would understand these different grips are used for lifting
different weights, doing different
lifts and as well as exercising different muscles. Some of the more common
lifts that can be used with
the winged grip support of the present invention include, but is not limited
to, the Overhand Grip,
Underhand Grip, Hammer Grip, Alternate Grip, False Grip, Hook Grip, Wide Grip
and Close Grip.
The winged grip support of the present invention enhances a lifters ability to
use each grip and the
advantages of using the winged grip support in conjunction with different
lifts will become more
apparent to one skilled in the art as the present invention is understood. Of
the grips listed two of the
most common grips in exercise and weight lifting are known as the Overhand
Grip and the Underhand
Grip. With the Overhand Grip the palms are facing away from the lifter. The
Overhand Grip is used
for many different types of exercises and is commonly used from a bench press
as well as when
exercising the biceps with reverse curls. Mostly when using the Overhand Grip
one is working the
wrist extensor muscles (muscles on top of the forearms). With the Underhand
Grip the palms are
usually facing towards the lifter when doing such bicep exercises like barbell
bicep curls or reverse
grip chin-ups. One common issue with both the Overhand and Underhand Grips is
that the bar often
rolls in the palm of ones hands when using these popular lifting and exercise
grips. The issue of a
rolling bar in ones palm is even more prevalent the more weight that is lifted
on the bar at one time.
This is why the Hook Grip is often used when powerlifting. The Hook Grip is
when the lifter wraps
their thumb around the bar and places their index, big and ring finger over
their thumb in a way to pin
the thumb to the bar, helping to hold the bar in place. For a novice lifter
the Hook Grip may not be
practical as it is a somewhat potentially difficult art to master as well as
it can be uncomfortable.
CA 2971845 2017-06-27
The winged grip support of the present invention is designed to offer many
advantages that
help aid a user in exercise and lifting weights. One such advantage when using
the winged grip
support of the present invention is when the user grips the winged grip
support and the lifter's palm
rests in the Winged Palm Support the lifter may wrap their thumb behind the
Winged Palm Support
and onto the Winged Thumb Support. This important design feature may be used
with the Overhand
or Underhand Grips and allows the user of the winged grip support of the
present invention to mimic
the Hooked Grip. Now the winged grip support of the present invention offers a
more secure way to
lift a bar which now aids in preventing the bar from rolling in one's hand.
The bar's Winged Palm
Support prevents the bar from rolling as it is pressed firmly and securely
into one's palms and the
combination of a user wrapping their thumb around and onto the Winged Thumb
Support, in
conjunction with the force of one's grip, now helps aid in preventing the bar
from rolling either way
in one's palm. The winged grip support of the present invention offers
superior gripping ability when
applied with each of the most common grips associated with exercise and weight
lifting.
Another such advantage of the winged grip support of the present invention
relates to the
comfort and ergonomics of holding a bar in the palm of one's hand. A bar is
not naturally shaped to
fit across the palm of one's hand and a close up of a weight lifters hand and
wrist holding a heavy bar
is almost a painful thing to view. The present invention was ergonomically
designed to contour to the
palm of one's hand using scientific hand data of men, women, and children
factoring in hand length,
breadth, finger length, dorsum length and thumb length. Included in and
factored into the design were
that of the different diameters of bars, as well as, men and woman's finger
grip and hand grasp
formulas. One skilled in the art would understand by taking all these formulas
into account the winged
grip support of the present invention may be designed to ergonomically fit
into the hand of a man and
a woman and slight variations in design to accommodate both would in no way
alter or take from the
scoop of the present invention.
By forming the winged grip support of the present invention to the perfect
measurements of
both a man and woman's hand the present invention has accomplished more than
just maximum
comfort when used in exercise and lifting weights. One such advantage now
offered by the present
invention is the distribution of weight within the user's palm, of the weight
lifted, during exercise and
weight lifting. The Winged Palm Support that contours to the entire palm of
the lifter acts to distribute
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the weight over a greater surface contact area within each hand, as compared
when with not using the
present invention when lifting weights. By creating a greater surface area and
distributing the lifted
weight over this greater surface area, the ergonomics creates a more
comfortable weight lifting
experience. If one finds it more comfortable to lift a weight, it can be
argued that they may do more
repetitions, the number of times they lift and lower a weight in one set of an
exercise. Also if one
finds it more comfortable to lift a weight, in theory, it now becomes more
comfortable to lift a greater
amount of weight in one lift using the winged grip support of the present
invention.
Another such advantage of forming the winged grip support of the present
invention to the
perfect measurements of both a man and woman's hand is that the Winged Palm
Support forces a
lifter to use proper ergonomically aligned lifting techniques when using the
winged grip support of
the present invention. The Winged Palm Support, through the wing construction,
the hand is
supported and the wrist is automatically put in an ergonomically idea
position. Many recreation and
professional gym goers know the problem when the hands fall asleep and begins
to tingle. The hand
is a very complex and sensitive part of the body with a lot of nerves running
through the wrist which
acts as a bottleneck and thus a problem area. Due to low fat and muscle, the
hand is less protected
and thus vulnerable to pressure load. The hands bolster a large part of the
upper body weight onto the
barbell and thus there is constant and high pressure onto a small area causing
nerves to become
irritated. Compounding the issue is many lifters bend their wrists to much
resulting in sensory loss,
tingling, numbness or abnormal sensations in the little finger and ring
finger. In extreme cases even
the grasping function of all fingers is limited. Strong pressure points may
lead to kinking off the Ulnar
nerves further leading to numbness or impaired mobility. The wing grip of the
winged grip support
not only enlarges the contact area of the hand, allowing for pressure to be
more widely distributed
over a larger area, thus relieving the Ulnar nerve and increasing comfort, but
also helps prevent the
wrist from bending. Heavy weights, with increasing fatigue, complicate the
ergonomically correct
position of the hand and cause a bent wrist, however, with the winged design
of the present invention
the wrist is actively prevented from kinking or falling downward, thus
offering maximum hand
comfort and support by putting the wrist automatically in an ergonomically
idea position. By creating
a greater contact surface area, and distributing the lifted weight over this
greater surface area, and now
also allowing for the proper alignment of the wrist in the most ergonomically
position, it can be argued
that lifters may do more repetitions, the number of times they lift and lower
a weight in one set of an
exercise, when using the present invention. Also if one finds it more
comfortable to lift an amount of
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weight, and the weight is distributed over a greater area, and maximum proper
alignment is used, in
theory, it now becomes more comfortable, and possible, to lift a greater
amount of weight in one lift
using the winged grip support of the present invention.
The present invention should now start to become more apparent as to its many
design features
as stated earlier in the aims of the present invention. One such aim of the
present invention is to offer
a winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support. A further aim of the
present invention is to
offer a winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support that improves the
grip of a weight lifted
bar and allows for more comfort while lifting weights. Still a further aim of
the present invention is
to offer a winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support that offers
superior improvements in
regards to proper alignment when lifting weights, aligning the lifted weight
in one's hands, in an
ergonomic way, to allow for reduced stress and injuries when weight lifting,
to the fingers, hands,
wrist, elbows, shoulder, neck, back, torso, knees, ankles and feet. It is yet
still a further aim of the
present invention to offer a winged ergonomically designed exercise grip
support that further
distributes the weight being lifted over a greater surface contact area of
one's hand, than just the bar
itself, when weight lifting in relation to one's hands holding a lifted bar.
Yet it is still a further aim
of the present invention to offer a winged ergonomically designed exercise
grip support that through
proper alignment and enhanced comfort when lifting weights, as well as
distributing weight to a
greater surface contact area, an increased user ability to perform more
repetitions and lift more weight
in a lift when lifting weights with the present invention. Another aim of the
present invention is to
offer a winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support that is portable
as well as attachable and
detachable to and from different pieces of exercise equipment.
While the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and
alternative forms,
specific embodiments have been shown by way of example found in the drawing
herein. It should be
understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular
forms disclosed. Rather
the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives
falling within the spirit and
scope of the invention. The detailed description and figures will describe
many of the embodiments
and aspects of the present invention and the present invention will become
clearer and more precise
to one skilled in the art in the following sections.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The novel features of the various embodiments of the winged grip support of
the present
invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The various
embodiments, however,
both as to the physical invention and the methods of operation may best be
understood by way of
example with references to the following description and taken in conjunction
with the accompanying
drawing as follows. In the following Figures like components are shown with
like numbers.
FIGURE 1 (FIG. 1) is a slightly rotated side perspective view, showing the end
and side of a
left handed winged grip support of the present invention.
FIGURE 2 (FIG. 2) is the left handed winged grip support as shown in FIGURE 1
with an
opened slit clamp for illustration purposes.
FIGURE 3 (FIG. 3) is a top view of the left handed winged grip support as
shown in FIGURE
1, showing the wing palm support and the winged thumb support areas of the
present invention.
FIGURE 4 (FIG. 4) is showing the reverse end and side view of FIGURE 1 when
rotated or
spun 180 degrees.
FIGURE 5 (FIG. 5) shows a left and right handed winged grip support of the
present invention
attached to a grip section of a weight lifting bar.
FIGURE 6 (FIG. 6) shows the palm side of a left hand holding the winged grip
support of the
present invention that is attached to a weight lifting bar.
FIGURE 7 (FIG. 7) shows the back hand side of a left hand holding the winged
grip support
of the present invention that is attached to a weight lifting bar.
FIGURE 8 (FIG. 8) is a cross section of FIGURE 7 showing the back hand side of
the left
hand holding the winged grip support of the present invention that is attached
to a weight lifting bar,
while also showing the palm support in the palm of the hand.
FIGURE 9 (FIG. 9) is showing the palm side of a right hand holding the winged
grip support
of the present invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The present invention is directed to an exercise grip support and more
particularly a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that attaches to a bar, like an
exercise or weight lifting
bar. More specifically the present invention is a formed or molded wing
designed exercise grip
support that attaches to a weight lifting bar for the purposes of allowing for
enhanced grip, improved
support stability, more sophisticated ergonomics and comfort with further
purposes of preventing
injuries by allowing for proper alignment of the fingers, hand and wrist when
lifting weights. The
present invention also distributes weight to a greater surface contact area of
the hand which allows for
an increased user ability to perform more repetitions and lift more weight in
a lift, when lifting weights
with the winged ergonomically designed exercise grip support of the present
invention.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention the wing
designed
exercise grip support of the present invention is manufactured by a mold maker
using the process of
liquid mold rubbers that can be poured to form the present invention. These
liquid molded rubbers
may also be called Polyurethane molded rubbers and used in a variety of
industries. Some advantages
of Polyurethane rubber is it is easy to use, cost effective, versatile, as
well as may be produced in a
plurality of degrees of hardness, from a soft to medium hard rubbers all the
way to very hard rubbers.
Although it should be understood that present invention may be made from
different materials that
would serve the desirable purposes of the present invention found herein, the
winged grip support of
the present invention is preferably made from Polyurethane rubber. In this
process a mold maker
would fill a hollowed out block with a liquid or pliable material, such as
Polyurethane rubber, that
conforms to the degree of hardness most suitable and desired of the present
invention. In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention the desired hardness is known as 60 shore,
however, it is
understood degrees of hardness that are various degrees harder or softer than
60 shore may be used to
form the winged grip support without taking from the scoop of the present
invention. The liquid
rubber then hardens or sets inside the mold, adopting the shape of the desired
object, in this case that
of the winged grip support device of the present invention. The current
process may use one, two or
more molds, one for each or different sides of the object made and
advancements in technology, such
as 3D printers and the like may alter the best process to manufacture the
present invention without
ever taking from the scope of the present invention. The present invention is
molded in such a way
CA 2971845 2017-06-27
to include the key features of the winged grip support design, with each
feature, or different part, of
the winged grip support playing a part in making the present invention
complete.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
is molded in one
piece. The one piece winged grip support consists of different parts, sections
and features which are
best used to describe and illustrate the winged grip support of the present
invention and also enable
one skilled in the art to fully understand and appreciate the many advantages
of the present invention.
For illustration purposes we have named the different parts, sections and
features of the winged grip
support of the present invention to include a Winged Palm Support, Winged
Thumb Support, Hand
Surface, Slit Clamp, Grip Support Wall, Inside Cylinder and Inside Cylinder
Wall.
Now referring to FIGURE 1 (FIG. 1) of the drawing, a slightly rotated side
perspective view,
showing the end and side of a left handed winged grip support 10 of the
present invention is shown.
The winged grip support 10 that may be offered in an assortment of colors also
comes as a set, one
for each hand. The winged grip support 10 in FIG. 1 is meant for the use with
the left hand. Like
many things that are sold, such as gloves and shoes, where one is sold for the
left hand or foot, and
one is sold for the right hand or foot, but yet sold as a pair or set, the
winged grip support 10 of the
present invention also is designed, one specifially for each hand. Although
only FIGURE 5 and
FIGURE 9 show the right handed winged grip support 10 of the present
invention, the left and right
handed supports 10 are mirror images of one another. Other then the winged
grip support 10 being
specifically designed for each hand, the features of the winged grip support
10 would be the same for
the left and right handed grips. In the preferred embodiment the left and
right handed grips are clearly
marked with words or letters such as "Left" or "L" and "Right" or "R" so it is
clearly identified on
the winged grip support 10 of the present invention.
Still referring to FIG 1, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention
the winged grip
support 10 is molded in one piece. The one piece winged grip support consists
of different parts,
sections and features which are best used to describe and illustrate the
winged grip support 10 of the
present invention and also enable one skilled in the art to fully understand
and appreciate the many
advantages of the present invention. For illustration purposes we have named
the different parts,
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sections and features of the winged grip support 10 of the present invention
to include a Winged Palm
Support (not shown in FIG 1, 70 FIG. 3). The Winged Palm Support would not be
visible from FIG.
1 as it is on the other side of the Winged Thumb Support 20. Also shown in
FIG. 1 is the Hand Surface
Area 30, Slit Clamp 40, Grip Support Wall 50, Inside Cylinder (referring to
the hole through the
winged grip support 10) and Inside Cylinder Wall 60. Each of the numbered
parts of the winged grip
support 10 serve a purpose and will become more clear as to their functions
here in the detailed
description of the present invention.
Now referring to FIGURE 2 (FIG. 2) of the drawing, the left handed winged grip
support 10
as shown in FIG. 1 is shown again in FIG. 2, however, with a slightly opened
Slit Clamp 40 for
illustration purposes. In FIG. 1 the Slit Clamp 40 is shown in a closed view.
In the preferred
embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support 10 is attached to
a bar (not shown in
either FIG. 1 or FIG. 2), and more specifically an exercise or weight lifting
style bar, that would be
used in fitness for different kinds of known lifts in weight lifting and
exercise.
In FIGURE 5 (FIG. 5) a left 10 (L) and right 10 (R) handed winged grip support
10 of the
present invention is shown attached to a grip section 100 of a weight lifting
bar 80. Some of the more
common bars 80 that the present invention may attach to are known as free-
weights, barbells, Olympic
bar, dumbbells, cables and other bars used in exercise and weight lifting such
as for use of the bench
press, weights with cables, curls, chin-ups and more. Although the winged grip
support 10 of the
present invention may fit all these different types of bars, in FIG. 5, the
present invention is shown on
what would resemble an Olympic bar 80. There are many different kinds of bars
80, including slight
variations in the diameter of weight lifting bars 80. For example an Olympic
bar 80 is a metal bar that
has outer ends 90 that are 50 (fifty) millimeters (2.0 inches) in diameter,
while the grip section 100 is
28 (twenty-eight) millimeters (1.1 inches) in diameter. Although the winged
grip support 10 of the
present invention is most commonly molded to precisely fit the most common bar
diameters 100, such
as the Olympic bar 80, it is understood to one skilled in the art that the
present invention may also
come in slight variations in size (diameter of the inner cylinder) that would
allow the present invention
to fit onto an assortment of bar sizes of varying degrees in diameter. The
winged grip support of the
present invention is designed so that when the Slit Clamp 40 (FIG. 1) is pried
open and pushed into
the grip section 100 of a bar 80 the winged grip support 10 wraps around the
grip section 100 of the
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bar 80 in a way as so the Inside Cylinder Wall 60 (FIG. 1) is in tight contact
completely around the
circumference of the grip section 100. When the winged grip support 10 is
properly in place, the
Inside Cylinder Wall 60 grips onto the grip section 100 of the bar 80 and the
Slit Clamp 40 would be
completely, or just about completely, in a closed position in such a way that
both sides of the Slit
Clamp 40, made up of the Grip Support Section 50 (FIG. 1) would close or be
close to closing
(touching) at the area along the length of the Slit Clamp 40. When a person
now places their left and
right hands onto the winged grip support 10, and more specifically their left
hand onto winged grip
support 10 (L) in such a way as to allow their left palm to grasp onto the
Wing Palm Support 70 of
the winged grip support 10 (L) and their right hand grasping onto the winged
grip support 10 (R) in
such a way that allows for placing their right palm over the Wing Palm Support
70 of the winged grip
support 10 (R). By grapping onto the winged grip support 10 (L & R) in a
natural way of lifting the
bar 80 the Inside Cylinder Wall 60 would tighten further along the grip
section 100 of bar 80 and the
Slit Clamp 40 would further close (tighten) along the length of the Slit Clamp
40.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the winged grip support
10 attaches to
the exercise or weight lifting bar 80 (FIG. 5) in one simple motion. The
winged grip support 10 of
the present invention is formed or molded with a cut line, more specifically
referred to as a Slit Clamp
40 (FIG. 1 showing it closed and FIG. 2 showing it slightly open) that is
either: a) formed and molded
into the mold of the winged grip support 10 or; b) is cut into place after the
manufacturer has formed
and molded the winged grip support 10. In either process the winged grip
support 10 of the present
invention will have this Slit Clamp 40 which is used to open the winged grip
support 10 of the present
invention so it may be slid onto an exercise or weight lifting bar 80 (FIG. 5)
and allows the winged
grip support 10 of the present invention to attach to the bar 80, enabling the
winged grip support 10
and the bar 80 to be fitted and work together. For illustration purposes, and
to further understand the
importance of the Slit Clamp 40, if you tried to attach the center cardboard
tube found in the center of
a toilet paper roll to an exercise bar 80 you could either slide the cardboard
tube over the end of the
bar 80 (if possible because the diameter of the bar would have to be smaller
than the cardboard tube),
or more easily, you could cut a line down the length of the cardboard tube,
which would then allow
the tube to be pried open and very easily slid over and onto the exercise bar.
With that simple analogy
anyone can now understand the winged grip support 10 of the present invention
acting like that
cardboard tube (but highly more sophisticated) and the cut line being the Slit
Clamp 40 so the winged
grip support 10 of the present invention may now easily be spread or pried
opened, and easily slide
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onto an exercise or weight lifting bar 80. Due to the fact the present
invention is made from durable
rubber it will rather easily open wide enough along the length of the Slit
Clamp 40 for the purposes
of easily attaching to the exercise or weight lifting bar 80.
The winged grip support of the present invention attaches to and detaches from
exercise or
weight lifting bars in mere seconds. In a more detailed and specific process,
referring to FIG. 1, 2 and
5, of the steps involved in attaching the winged grip support 10 to an
exercise or weight lifting bar 80
as shown in FIG. 5, the steps would include: a) holding the left handed winged
grip support 10 (L)
with one or both hands and; b) gently spreading open, or prying open, the
winged grip support 10
along the Slit Clamp 40 (FIG. 2) and; c) sliding onto the proper side of the
exercise or weight lifting
bar 80 and over and onto the bar 80 in the normal location you would place
your hands when lifting
the bar, somewhere along the grip section 100 of the weight lifting bar 80
and; d) releasing the winged
grip support 10, and more specifically the Slit Clamp 40, which will enable
the winged grip support
to form and be fitted onto the bar 80 and more specifically the grip section
100 of bar 80 and; e)
then slightly adjusting (if need be) the winged grip support 10 to the desired
exact position on the grip
section 100 of bar 80 which may be accomplished by grabbing the Slit Clamp 40
and gently prying it
open enough to allow the winged grip support 10 to release its grip on the
grip section 100 of the bar
80 and sliding the winged grip support 10 to the left or right to the most
desired location and; f)
repeating steps A to E now but for the right handed winged grip support 10
(R). The entire process
of attaching the winged grip supports 10 (L) 10 (R) to the bar 80 for both the
left 10 (L) and right
handed 10 (R) grips, in actual time, takes less than 15 seconds with
adjustments if required. The
winged grip supports 10 of the present invention are detachable in mere
seconds by simply using one
or both hands and prying open the Slit Clamp 40 and pulling the winged grip
support 10 from the
exercise or weight lifting bar 80, making the winged grip supports 10 (L) 10
(R) of the present
invention portable and transferrable between many different bars, even at
different locations such as
the home and fitness center. It should be understood to one skilled in the art
that although we have
walked through the steps of attaching and detaching the winged grip support 10
of the present
invention to that of what would most resemble an Olympic bar 80, that the
steps could vary slightly
depending on the exact style of the bar 80 that the present invention is being
attached to and there are
many bar types and styles that the present invention may attach to and the
precise steps involved does
not take from the scoop of the present invention if those steps vary slightly
between the various types
and styles of bars.
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As shown in FIG. 5, the winged grip support 10 (L) 10 (R) of the present
invention attaches to
the exercise or weight lifting bar 80 in the exact position one would place
their hands to lift the bar 80
if one was not using the present invention. A standard Olympic bar 80 is 2.2
meters (7.2 feet) long
with the grip section 100 of the bar 80 is 1.31 meters (4.3 feet) in length.
There is no specific spot
each and every person uses to grasp or hold the bar 80 when lifting and this
is more an individual
preference. However, a person lifting bar 80 would place their hands somewhere
along the grip
section 100 of bar 80 and possibly, for illustration purposes, their left hand
where the winged grip
support 10 (L) is located along the grip section 100 and their right hand
where the winged grip support
(R) is located along the grip section 100. If multiple people were all sharing
the same winged grip
support 10 of the present invention, say on a bench press for instance, they
could very easily grab the
winged grip support 10 along the Slit Clamp 40 (FIG. 2) and slightly pry open
the winged gip support
10 to slide do their most preferred and desired location along the length of
the gip section 100 of bar
80 and for each the left 10 (L) and right 10 (R) handed winged grip support.
In actual time to readjust
the winged grip support 10 would take under 10 seconds. Of course it is
possible each lifter would
have their own winged grip support 10 that is unique, and used by only them,
when in use, which in
the preferred embodiment of the present invention has its own advantages.
As shown in FIG. 5 the winged grip support 10 (L) 10 (R) of the present
invention attaches to
the exercise or weight lifting bar 80 in the exact position one would place
their hands to lift the bar
80. When each winged grip support 10 (L) 10 (R) is placed along the grip
section 100 of the bar 80
the winged grip support 10 grips onto the grip section 100 of bar 80 in such a
way to form a very
secure grip with the grip section 100. The winged grip support 10 is designed
to securely fit onto any
bar it is placed on, in such a way the bar 80 does not move on the insides of
the winged grip support
80. Obviously any weight lifting grip used on a bar is designed in this way,
to securely adhere to the
bar in such a way to prevent it from moving when in place. The winged grip
support 10 of the present
invention is also designed this way and without grabbing onto the Slit Clamp
40 (FIG. 2) and prying
open to release the grip the winged grip support 10 has onto the grip section
100 of the bar 80, or any
style of bar, it would be extremely difficult to slide the winged grip support
10 along the grip section
100 of the bar 80. This is clearly for safety purposes as so the bar 80 does
not slide to the left or right
when a person is lifting weights using the present invention.
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As shown in FIGURE 6 (FIG. 6) when the winged grip support 10 of the present
invention is
attached to an exercise or weight lifting bar 80 along the grip section 100,
it is attached in a way so
that the Winged Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3) of the winged grip support 10 is
positioned in relationship
to the lifter in a way that when the winged grip support 10 is grasp in one's
hand 110, the Winged
Palm Support 70 comfortably and ergonomically rests in the palm of the lifters
hand 110. The left
winged grip support's 10 (L) (FIG. 5) Winged Palm Support 70 fits into the
palm of the left hand 110
of the lifter and the right winged grip support's 10 (R) (FIG. 5) Winged Palm
Support 70 fits into the
palm of the right hand of the lifter (the right hand is also shown in FIG 9).
Of course there are many
different methods used in lifting. For example in a Dead Lift the lifter lifts
the weights off the floor,
so the winged grip support's Winged Palm Support 70 would be facing upwards
(or slightly upwards
and offset depending on the lift) so that when a lifter bends over or squats
to grab onto the winged
grip supports 10, that would be attached to the bar 80, the lifter's left and
right hands would grab onto
the winged grip support 10 in such a way that the lifter's palms of their left
and right hand fit
comfortable over the Wing Palm Support 70 for the left and right handed winged
grip support 10.
When grabbed properly the feeling of the Winged Palm Support 70 is instantly
understood by the
lifter as the Winged Palm Support 70 contours and conforms to and with the
shape of the palm of the
lifter. A first time lifter would instinctively understand they are holding
the winged grip support 10
properly because how comfortable the Winged Palm Support 70 rests into the
lifters palm (illustrated
in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9). Of course the winged grip support's 10
Winged Palm Support
70 of the present invention would face downwards (or slightly downwards and
offset depending on
the lift) if the lifter was lifting from under the bar in what is commonly
known as squats or the bench
press. In a bench press for example, the lifter is laying or seated on a
bench, like a flat bench or one
that is inclined or declined. So with each different style of lift the lifter
is approaching the bar from
varying degrees with their hands to grasp onto the bar. From these varying
degrees the winged grip
support's 10 Winged Palm Support 70 also rotates around the bar so that the
lifters palms fit securely
and comfortably onto the Winged Palm Supports 70 of the left and right winged
grip supports, no
matter the lift being used. In FIG. 6 the position of the left hand 110
holding onto the winged grip
support 10 so that the winged grip support's Wing Palm Support comfortably
sits into the palm of the
lifters hand 110. From this view we see the fingers 140 of the left hand 110
wrap around the winged
grip support 10 and the thumb 130 grasp onto the Winged Thumb Support 20 area
that is opposite the
Winged Palm Support which is resting against the palm of the hand in this
view. A popular such
exercise shown in FIG. 6 could be a curl where the lifter is lifting the
weights towards their chest then
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back away from their body. Not shown in FIG. 6 is the mirrored image of the
lifters right hand holding
onto the other end of the bar 80 and their right hand holding onto the winged
grip support 10 designed
for the right hand.
There are numerous different hand held grips lifters use when lifting weights
and one skilled
in the art would understand these different grips are used for lifting
different weights, doing different
lifts and as well as exercising different muscles. Some of the more common
grips that can be used
with the winged grip support 10 of the present invention include, but is not
limited to, the Overhand
Grip (FIG. 7), Underhand Grip (FIG. 6), Hammer Grip, Alternate Grip, False
Grip, Hook Grip, Wide
Grip and Close Grip. The winged grip support 10 of the present invention
enhances a lifters ability
to use each grip and the advantages of using the winged grip support 10 in
conjunction with different
lifts and grips will become more apparent to one skilled in the art as the
present invention is understood
in its entirety. Of the grips listed, two of the most common grips in exercise
and weight lifting are
known as the Overhand Grip and the Underhand Grip. With the Overhand Grip the
palms are facing
away from the lifter (as shown in FIG. 7). The Overhand Grip is used for many
different types of
exercises and is commonly used from a bench press as well as when exercising
the biceps with reverse
curls. Mostly when using the Overhand Grip one is working the wrist extensor
muscles (muscles on
top of the forearms). With the Underhand Grip the palms are usually facing
towards the lifter (as
shown in FIG. 6) when doing such bicep exercises like barbell bicep curls or
reverse grip chin-ups.
One common issue with both the Overhand and Underhand Grips is that the bar
often rolls in the palm
of ones hands when using these popular lifting and exercise grips. The issue
of a rolling bar in ones
palm is even more prevalent the more weight that is lifted on the bar at one
time. This is why the
Hook Grip is often used when powerlifting. The Hook Grip is when the lifter
wraps their thumb
around the bar and places their index, big and ring finger over their thumb in
a way to pin the thumb
to the bar, helping to hold the bar in place. For a novice lifter the Hook
Grip may not be practical as
it is a somewhat potentially difficult art to master as well as it can be
uncomfortable.
The winged grip support of the present invention is designed to offer many
advantages that
help aid a user in exercise and lifting weights. One such advantage when using
the winged grip
support 10 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 6. When the user grips
the winged grip support
and the lifter's palm rests in the Winged Palm Support the lifter may wrap
their thumb 130 behind
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the Winged Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3) and onto the Winged Thumb Support 20. This
important design
feature may be used with the Overhand or Underhand Grips and allows the user
of the winged grip
support 10 of the present invention to mimic the Hooked Grip, or a Hooked Grip
style of grip now
unique to the winged grip support 10 of the present invention. Now the winged
grip support 10 of the
present invention offers a more secure way to lift a bar 80 which now aids in
preventing the bar 80
from rolling in one's hand 110. The bar's Winged Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3)
prevents the bar from
rolling into the palm as it is pressed firmly and securely into one's palms
(illustrated in FIG. 6) and
the combination of a user wrapping their thumb 130 around the winged grip
support 10 and onto the
Winged Thumb Support 20, in conjunction with the force of one's grip, now
helps aid in preventing
the bar 80 and more specifically the grip section 100 from rolling either way
in one's palm. The
winged grip support 10 of the present invention offers superior gripping
ability when applied with
each of the most common grips associated with exercise and weight lifting.
Another such advantage of the winged grip support 10 of the present invention
is also
illustrated in FIG. 6 and relates to the comfort and ergonomics of holding a
grip section 100 of a bar
80 in the palm of one's hand. A bar is not naturally shaped to fit across the
palm of one's hand and a
close up of a weight lifters hand and wrist holding a heavy bar is almost a
painful thing to view. The
present invention was ergonomically designed to contour to the palm of one's
hand as shown in FIG.
6 and using scientific hand data of men, women, and children factoring in hand
length, breadth, finger
length, dorsum length and thumb length. Now holding onto the winged grip
support 10 of the present
invention is a more comfortable experience, than only holding on the bar 80 by
itself, as unlike the
bar 80 which is nothing more than round in shape, the winged grip support 10
was ergonomically
designed to contour to one's hand 110. Included in and factored into the
design were that of the
different diameters of bars 80, as well as, men and woman's finger grip 140
and hand grasp formulas.
One skilled in the art would understand by taking all these formulas into
account the winged grip
support 10 of the present invention may be designed to more ergonomically fit
into the hand 110 of a
man and a woman and slight variations in design to accommodate both would in
no way alter or take
from the scoop of the present invention.
By forming the winged grip support of the present invention to the perfect
measurements of
both a man and woman's hand the present invention has accomplished more than
just maximum
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comfort when used in exercise and lifting weights. One such advantage now
offered by the present
invention is the distribution of weight within the user's palm (Illustrated in
FIG. 6), of the weight
lifted during exercise and weight lifting. The Winged Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3)
that contours to the
entire palm of the lifter (as shown in FIG. 6) acts to distribute the weight
over a greater surface contact
area within each hand 110, as compared when with not using the present
invention when lifting
weights. When viewing FIG. 6 one can clearly understand that removing the
winged grip support 10
from this view would leave the bar 80, and more specifically the grip section
100, in the palm of the
hand 110 and the part of contact of the grip section 100 in the hand 110 would
be much less than the
contact surface area of the winged grip support 10 in the hand 110. By
creating a greater contact
surface area and distributing the lifted weight over this greater contact
surface area, the ergonomics
creates a more comfortable weight lifting experience when using the winged
grip support 10 in
conjunction with exercise and lifting weights. If one finds it more
comfortable to lift a weight, it can
be argued that they may do more repetitions, the number of times they lift and
lower a weight in one
set of an exercise. Also if one finds it more comfortable to lift a weight, in
theory, it now becomes
more comfortable to lift a greater amount of weight in one lift using the
winged grip support of the
present invention than a person may usually lift.
Another such advantage of forming the winged grip support of the present
invention to the
perfect measurements of both a man and woman's hand is that the Winged Palm
Support forces a
lifter to use proper ergonomically aligned lifting techniques when using the
winged grip support of
the present invention. As illustrated in FIG. 6 through FIG. 9, the Winged
Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3),
through the wing construction, the hand 120 and 160 (in FIG. 9, showing more
specifically the right
hand) is supported and the wrist 120 is automatically put in an ergonomically
idea position. Many
recreation and professional gym goers know the problem when the hands fall
asleep and begins to
tingle. The hand is a very complex and sensitive part of the body with a lot
of nerves running through
the wrist which acts as a bottleneck and thus often a problem area when
lifting weights. Due to low
fat and muscle, the hand is less protected and thus vulnerable to pressure
load. The hands bolster a
large part of the upper body weight onto the barbell and thus there is
constant and high pressure onto
a small area causing nerves to become irritated. Compounding the issue is many
lifters bend their
wrists to much resulting in sensory loss, tingling, numbness or abnormal
sensations in the little finger
and ring finger. In extreme cases even the grasping function of all fingers is
limited. Strong pressure
points may lead to kinking off the Ulnar nerves, further leading to numbness
or impaired mobility.
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The Winged Palm Support 70 (FIG. 3) of the winged grip support 10 not only
enlarges the contact
surface area of the hand, allowing for pressure to be more widely distributed
over a larger area, thus
helping to relieve the Ulnar nerve and increasing comfort, but also help
prevent the wrist from
bending. Heavy weights, with increasing fatigue, complicate the ergonomically
correct position of
the hand and cause a bent wrist, however, with the Winged Palm Support 70 of
the present invention
the wrist is actively prevented from kinking or falling downward, thus
offering maximum hand
comfort and support by putting the wrist automatically in an ergonomically
idea position. By creating
a greater contact surface area, and distributing the lifted weight over this
greater contact surface area,
and now also allowing for the proper alignment of the wrist in the most
ergonomically position, it can
be argued that lifters may do more repetitions, the number of times they lift
and lower a weight in one
set of an exercise, when using the present invention. Also if one finds it
more comfortable to lift an
amount of weight, and the weight is distributed over a greater contact surface
area, and maximum
proper alignment is used, in theory, it now becomes more comfortable, and
possible, to lift a greater
amount of weight in one lift using the winged grip support of the present
invention, than a person
would normally lift.
Another such advantage of forming the winged grip support of the present
invention to the
perfect measurements of both a man and woman's hand is that the Winged Palm
Support 70 (FIG. 3)
forces a lifter to use proper ergonomically aligned lifting techniques when
using the winged grip
support of the present invention thus helping to prevent numerous injuries
that are associated with
improper alignment. By forcing proper alignment the winged grip support 10
helps reduce stress
caused by improper alignment which leads to injuries when lifting. It is well
documented the leading
injuries when lifting and one leading cause is created by improper alignment.
This can lead to stress
on many parts of a lifters body, from their head to their feet. One skilled in
the art would know that
wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck and lower back are all potential problem areas
for lifters but the
fingers, hands, torso, knees ankles and feet all require proper alignment as
well to help reduce the
stress lifting weights places on one's entire body. The winged grip support
ergonomics will improve
performance by ensuring proper alignment. The winged grip support ergonomics
improves safety and
helps lifters reach their fitness goals such as increased strength and muscle
tone, weight loss and
improved muscle density while reducing injuries, sprains, strains and stress.
CA 2971845 2017-06-27
The present invention should now start to become more apparent as to its many
design features
as stated earlier in the aims of the present invention. The present invention
offers a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support. Further the present invention
offers a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that improves the grip of a
weight lifted bar and allows
for more comfort while lifting weights. Still further the present invention
offers a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that offers superior improvements
in regards to proper
alignment when lifting weights, aligning the lifted weight in one's hands, in
an ergonomic way, and
allowing for reduced stress and injuries when weight lifting, to the fingers,
hands, wrist, elbows,
shoulder, neck, back, torso, knees, ankles and feet. Still further the present
invention offers a winged
ergonomically designed exercise grip support that further distributes the
weight being lifted over a
greater surface contact area of one's hand, than just the bar itself, when
weight lifting in relation to
one's hands holding a lifted bar. Yet still further the present invention
offers a winged ergonomically
designed exercise grip support that through forcing proper alignment and
enhanced comfort when
lifting weights, as well as distributing weight to a greater surface contact
area, an increased user ability
to perform more repetitions and lift more weight in a lift when lifting
weights with the present
invention. The present invention also offers a winged ergonomically designed
exercise grip support
that is portable as well as attachable and detachable to and from different
pieces of exercise equipment.
While the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and
alternative forms,
specific embodiments have been shown by way of example found in the drawing
herein. It should be
understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular
forms disclosed. Rather
the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents and alternatives
falling within the spirit and
scope of the invention.
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CA 2971845 2017-06-27
