Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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ADJUSTABLY WEIGHTED LEG/ARM EXERCISE DEVICE
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application
Serial
No. 61/119,823 entitled "Adjustably Weighted Leg/Arm Exercise Device", filed
December 23, 2008. The disclosure of this provisional patent application is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
The present invention pertains to exercise devices of the type that can be
adjustably weighted and secured about the leg of a person. Although the
preferred
embodiment described and illustrated herein pertains to such a device as worn
on
the lower leg of a person, it will be readily understood that the principles
of the
invention apply equally to devices worn on the person's forearm.
Discussion of the State of the Art
It is known to provide selectively weighted exercise devices that are worn
about the ankle or wrist of a person. An example of such a device that is worn
about
one's ankle is disclosed in my U. S. Patent No. 4,997,183 (Winston); an
example of
another such device that is worn about one's wrist is disclosed in my U. S.
Patent
No. 5,127,891 (Winston). The disclosures in those patents are incorporated
herein
by reference in their entireties. Although these devices function quite well
for their
intended purposes, there is room for improvement. For example, the devices are
typically worn about a person's ankle or wrist and contain several pockets
into which
weighted bars may be selectively inserted. The presence of the devices on only
the
ankle or wrist limits its use as well as the number of weights that it can
carry. For
example, for rehabilitation after leg fractures, tendon and muscle pulls or
strains, for
enhancing bone density to prevent osteoporosis, for strengthening legs for
certain
activities such as hockey, soccer and football, and for treadmill exercises to
enhance
resistance, it is desirable and beneficial that the weighted device be worn
about the
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person's forearm or shin. Likewise, training and exercise for certain sports,
such as
soccer, hockey, etc., benefit from leg weights as opposed to ankle weights.
The weight receiving pockets of the prior devices are open at their upper ends
and a flap is provided to prevent inadvertent removal of a bar from a pocket,
particularly during vigorous exercise activities. Under some conditions it is
possible
for the flap of some prior art units to open, thereby leaving the upper end of
the
pockets exposed, permitting a weighted bar to fall out of its pocket during
vigorous
exercise.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a device that is more suitable for
being
worn on the lower leg or forearm and that also has more reliable means for
maintaining the weighed bars in the pocket.
It is known in the prior art to provide exercise devices in the form of
weighted
sleeves or bands that are adapted to be worn about the forearm or shin of a
person.
Examples of such devices may be seen in U. S. Patent Nos. 2,241,833 (Waller),
4,330,120 (Netti), 4,905,991 (Alston), 5,514,056 (Ronca et al) and 6,213,920
(Ronca
et al). These devices either lack weight adjustability, or sufficient
gradations of such
adjustability, or do not account for properties such as maintaining user
comfort and
safety when in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention an adjustably weighted leg exercise unit is
adapted to cover either all or most of the lower leg (or forearm). The
preferred
embodiment is in the form of a wrap that is disposed about the limb and closed
securely by straps, or the like. Alternatively the unit can take the form of a
sleeve
that slips on over the foot (e.g., like a long sock without a foot portion)
and is held in
place by elastic bands or elasticized edges.
The unit includes four compartments having pockets with openings on the
interior (i.e., facing the leg of the wearer) surface of the unit. Each
compartment has
five side-by-side weight-receiving pockets covered by a common flap that
includes a
closure arrangement, such as a hook and eye closure (e.g., Velcro) to maintain
the
flap in place in its closed position. The pockets are elongated to receive the
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correspondingly elongated weighted bars. A bar is inserted into a pocket
through a
small access opening that, instead of being at the end of the pocket, is
provided a
short distance from the upper end of the pocket. The bar may be inserted
through
that access opening and downwardly into the pocket. When the lower portion of
the
bar is fully inserted into the lower section of the pocket, the upper section
of the
pocket above the access opening may be stretched over the top of the weighted
bar
so that the top of the bar can be forced under and extend into the upper
section of
the pocket beyond the access opening. In this position the upper portion of
the bar
is covered by the upper section of the pocket and is securely prevented from
moving
out of the pocket.
The compartments are arranged in two columns, each disposed along a
respective side of the wearer's leg when the unit is deployed on the lower
leg. The
flap for each compartment is cushioned to protect the user's leg from injury
from the
weights during exercise activities.
The flaps are neoprene-covered and the bands are made of neoprene with
velvet soft material against the wearer's skin for providing friction free
smoothness
as well as warmth against the leg to both protect musculature and the limb
with the
warmth and smoothness.
The above and still further features and advantages of the present invention
will become apparent upon consideration of the following definitions,
descriptions
and descriptive figures of specific embodiments thereof wherein like reference
numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.
While
these descriptions go into specific details of the invention, it should be
understood
that variations may and do exist and would be apparent to those skilled in the
art
based on the descriptions herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is view in perspective showing the interior surface of preferred
embodiment of a leg weight exercise unit with two cover flaps of the weight
receiving
compartments open according to the present invention.
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FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of a portion of the interior surface of the
unit of
FIG. 1 showing the cover flaps of the weight receiving compartments in
different
positions.
FIG. 3 is a detailed view in perspective of the four weight receiving
compartments of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a detailed view in perspective of a portion of a weight receiving
compartment of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a detailed view in perspective of an end portion of the interior
surface
of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a detailed view in perspective of the center section of the interior
surface of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG 7A is a view in perspective of two weight receiving compartments and an
end section of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG 7B is a view in perspective of one weight receiving compartment of the
unit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a detailed view in perspective of the weight receiving compartment
shown in FIG. 7B.
FIG. 9 is a further detailed view in perspective of the weight receiving
compartment shown in FIG. 7B.
FIG. 10 is a detailed view in perspective showing the interior surface
portions
of a section having two vertically aligned weight receiving compartments with
the
cover flap of one compartment open and the cover flap of the other compartment
closed.
FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of a portion of the exterior surface of the
weight receiving and center sections of the unit of FIG. 1.
FIG. 12 is a view in perspective showing the exterior surface of the unit of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 13 is a detailed view in perspective showing the entireties of the
interior
surface of a section having the two vertically aligned weight receiving
compartments
of Fig. 10.
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FIG. 14 is another view in perspective showing the exterior surface of the
unit
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 15A is a schematic view in plan of the exterior surface of the
embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 15B is a schematic view in plan of the interior surface of the embodiment
of FIG. 1.
FIG. 16 is a plan view of a weighted bar used in the weight container sections
of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG 17 is a view in transverse section of the weighted bar of FIG. 16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following detailed explanations of the drawings and of the preferred
embodiments reveal the methods and apparatus of the present invention. As used
herein, "horizontal" and "vertical" refer to the orientation of the unit
described herein
when worn on a leg or arm at rest. In that regard, the length and horizontal
dimensions of the wrap unit described herein are the same dimension, and the
width
and vertical dimensions of the unit are likewise the same dimensions.
Referring to the attached drawings in greater detail, the exercise device or
unit of the present invention is in the form of an elongated wrap including an
interior
surface (FIGS. 1 - 10, 13 and 15B) and an opposite exterior surface (FIGS. 11,
12,
14 and 15A). When the device is worn during exercise, the interior surface
faces
and abuts the wearer's leg, and the exterior surface faces away from the leg.
As
seen in FIGS. 1 and 14, the device includes a first end having first and
second
closure bands or straps 11, 12 and an opposite second end including third and
fourth
closure bands 13, 14. Proceeding horizontally or lengthwise intermediate the
two
ends, the device includes: a first weight container section including
vertically
adjacent weight receiving compartments 15, 16, each connected at its distal
horizontal end to a respective closure band 13, 14; a second weight container
section including vertically adjacent weight receiving compartments 17, 18,
each
connected at its distal end to a respective closure band 11, 12, and an
intermediate
or center section 19 disposed between the two weight container sections. The
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exposed outer surface of each of compartments 15, 16 has a respective
lengthwise
or horizontally extending Velcro strip 45, 46 (FIGS. 11, 12, 14) secured
thereto to
mate with Velcro pads 21, 22 (FIGS. 1, 2, 5) disposed on the inner surface of
the
distal ends of closure bands 11, 12, respectively. When the device is wrapped
about
the lower leg of the wearer, the interior surface of the device is placed
around the
wearer's lower leg and the closure bands are tightly pulled, with bands 13, 14
disposed interiorly of bands 11, 12. Velcro pads 21, 22 are thereby enabled to
mate
with the Velcro strips 45, 46.
The weight compartments 15, 16, 17, 18 are substantially identical and are
arranged in two vertical or widthwise extending columns of two, each column
oriented to be disposed along a respective side of the wearer's shin when the
unit is
deployed on his/her lower leg. The compartments each have weight receiving
pockets 30 with weight receiving openings on the interior surface of the unit.
More
specifically, as best illustrated in Figs. 1 - 4, 7 - 10 and 13, each
compartment has
five vertically elongated weight receiving pockets 30 arranged in parallel
side-by-side
adjacency and covered by a common flap 31 pivotally attached by a sewn seam,
or
the like along the upper edge of the compartment. Flap 31 is biased downward
to
overlie the pockets 30 in a closed position and includes closure retention
arrangement, such as Velcro, to maintain the flap in place in its closed
position. In
this regard, each flap 31 has a Velcro strip 32 secured at the distal end of
its
underside and positioned to mate with a Velcro strip 33 sewn onto the three
middle
pockets 30 of the compartment. In the closed position of the cover flap 31 the
pockets are covered and inaccessible. In the open position of the flap the
pockets
are both visible and accessible.
The pockets 30 are elongated to receive correspondingly elongated weight
bars 50 shown in Figs. 16, 17. A weight bar 50 may be inserted into a pocket
30
through a small access opening 34 that, instead of being at the end of the
pocket, is
provided in the pocket wall a short distance below the upper end of the
pocket. The
bar is longer than the bottom portion of the pocket that extends below opening
34.
The bar may be inserted through that access opening 34 and downwardly into the
pocket. When the lower portion of the bar is fully inserted into the lower
section of
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the pocket, a resilient upper section of the pocket wall defining the top of
the access
opening 34 may be stretched over the top of the weighted bar so that the top
of the
bar can be pushed under and extend into the upper section of the pocket above
the
access opening. In this position the upper section of the bar is covered by
the upper
section of the pocket wall and is prevented from inadvertently moving out of
the
pocket.
As described, the pockets 30 are configured with upper and lower portions
separated by opening 34 for weight bar insertion instead of single portion
with an
open top for receiving weight bars. The weight bar 50 fits under top portion
of the
pocket above opening 34 and is held longitudinally tight by the ends of the
pocket to
prevent dislodging. The lower pocket portion has a gusset to permit sideways
outward expansion by the inserted weight bars, and the top portion has
sufficient
resilient "give" to permit the weight bar to be inserted as described.
As illustrated in Figs 16 and 17, weight bar 50 is configured as a semi-
cylinder
having rounded ends with one side 52 substantially flat and the other side 54
arcuate
throughout the length of the bar. When the bar is placed in a pocket 30, its
flat side
faces access opening 34 and therefore faces the leg of the wearer. Any forces
exerted by the bar against the wearer's leg are thus distributed along the
large
substantially rectangular area contact that abuts the leg through the pocket
material
rather than the smaller contact area of the limited apex portion of the
curvature of the
bar that would be forced toward the leg if the position of the bar were
rotated by
180 . The distribution of the force over the larger area of flat side 52 of
bar 50
reduces pressure at any one location along the leg that might result from bar
movement toward the leg. Typically, at least twenty weight bars 50 are
provided
with each device, one bar for each of the twenty pockets. The device may be
used
during exercises with some or all of the pockets having a bar inserted
therein,
depending on the nature and level of exercise. The bars typically weigh 1/4
pound
each; however, heavier and lighter weights may be used.
Intermediate section 19 of the unit is preferably positioned to be disposed
along the wearer's shin when the unit is deployed. Accordingly, the two
columns of
weight compartments are disposed primarily along the sides of the leg, and the
wrap
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opening is disposed at the back of the leg. Center section 19 is cushioned to
further
protect the leg. The cover flap 31 associated with each compartment is also
cushioned so as to further protect the user's leg from injury from the weights
during
exercise activities.
In the preferred embodiment, the compartments 15, 16, 17, 18 are made from
600 denier nylon. Intermediate section 19 is made of nylon-covered foam with
non-
skid attachments 41, in the form of horizontally extending and vertically
spaced
stripes of soft high friction material, to help maintain the device
positionally stable on
the wearer's leg during exercise. Straps 11, 12, 13, 14 are made of neoprene
that is
stretchable to accommodate and hold weights securely in place when the straps
close the device around the wearer's leg. The bindings around the edges of the
device are made of stretch Lycra to elastically secure the device to the leg
for
different size/shape legs. PVC backing is used in the pockets to additionally
positionally stabilize the weight bars and limit movement. The flaps 31 are
made of
velvet and neoprene with a Lycra binding; the velvet serves as a cushion and
avoids
rubbing friction. The neoprene covered flaps have foamed cushioning under the
neoprene to form a cushioned pad that rests against the wearer's leg. This
provides
additional protection for long shaft bones and musculature.
Although the device as disclosed in the preferred embodiment has four
closure straps 11, 12, 13, 14, two at each end of the device, it will be
appreciated
that only two straps, one at each end may suffice for different units,
particularly
smaller units. Also, as noted above, instead of taking the form of a wrap, the
device
may be made as a continuous sleeve having elasticized ends to secure the unit
in
place on a limb, and may also include another elastic band at the middle of
the unit.
As mentioned above, the device may be configured for use on a wearer's
forearm. The arm units have the weight bars positioned on the upper portion of
the
forearm. As noted, the leg unit has the weight bars on the front and back of
the leg,
the cushioned center rests on the inner side of the leg, and the straps close
on the
outer side of the leg.
FIGS. 15A and 15B are schematic drawings showing the exterior and interior
surfaces, respectively, of a unit similar to that described above and serve as
a basis
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for describing exemplary or typical dimensions for an exemplary unit.
Referring to
these drawings, the following dimensions are typical:
Vertical height of overall unit - - 8.37"
Horizontal length of center section 19 - - 14.5"
Horizontal length of closure bands 13, 14 - - 5.9"
Horizontal length of closure bands 11, 12 - - 7.9"
Vertical height of closure bands - - 3.9"
It must be stressed that these dimensions are provided as a frame of reference
for a
particular embodiment and are not intended to be limiting on the scope of the
invention.
The invention as described has several advantages over prior art arm and leg
weights. One such advantage is the provision of at least twenty weight
receiving
pockets that permit a user of the device to gradually increase or decrease the
total
weight in twenty-one steps as needed for different types and levels of
exercise. This
advantage is achieved in part by configuring the device to fit on most of the
lower leg
or forearm rather than being limited to the ankle or wrist area of the wearer,
and by
arranging the weight receiving pockets in two columns of two compartments,
spaced
on opposite sides of the leg, with five pockets in each compartment.
Another advantage is the configuration of the unit so that it may be safely
and
comfortably used. This is achieved by the fact that the flaps are neoprene-
covered
and the bands are made of neoprene with velvet soft material arranged to be in
contact with the wearer's skin for providing friction free smoothness as well
as
warmth against the leg to both protect musculature and the limb.
Another advantage of the invention is the enhanced retention of the weight
bars in the weight receiving pockets. Specifically, in addition to cover flaps
31 which
are conventionally used to cover weight receiving pockets, the present
invention
provides for insertion of the weight bars through access openings 34 located
below
the upper end of the pocket. The weight bar 50 is longer than the bottom
portion of
the pocket that extends below opening 34. The elastomeric upper edge of the
pocket opening 34 permits the weight bar to be inserted such that the top
portion of
the bar is covered by the top portion of the pocket and held in place by the
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elastomeric upper edge of the pocket forcing the bar laterally against the
rear wall of
the pocket. Since weight bar 50 is longer than the length of the bottom
portion of the
pocket and is retained in the upper portion of the pocket, the bar cannot
inadvertently
become disengaged from the pocket.
The unit may be employed over the dorsal muscles or volar aspect of the
forearm, or on the muscles behind long shaft bones.
Having described preferred embodiments of new and improved adjustably
weighted leg/arm exercise device, it is believed that other modifications,
variations
and changes will be suggested to those skilled in the art in view of the
teachings set
forth herein. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations,
modifications
and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention as
defined
by the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are
used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of
limitation.
