Patents by Inventor Mark A. Krull

Mark A. Krull has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11745040
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a seat to accommodate a person in a seated position, an upper back rest to support the person's back, a foot rest to the person's feet, and a lap engaging member spanning the person's lap. A first resistance device is connected to opposite ends of the lap engaging member to resist movement of the lap engaging member away from the seat. A second resistance device is connected to a handle to resist movement of the handle from a position behind the back rest toward the back rest. A person sits on the seat and performs a combination exercise involving both: (a) a hip thrust exercise, wherein the person thrusts her hips and the lap engaging member upward and away from the seat; and (b) a lat pull down exercise, wherein the person pulls the handle from an arm's length distance behind the back support to a position more proximate the upper back support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Patent number: 11491363
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a resistance device including left and right sheaves and associated rewind mechanisms. Left and right cords are routed from the sheaves through left and right swivel pulleys to left and right force receiving members. A person stands on a foot platform and exercises by using her arms and/or her legs to pull the cords from the sheaves. The person may stabilize herself by placing one or both hands on handlebars when those hands are not involved in the pulling activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Expectations, LLC
    Inventors: Rylie Teeter Leier, Nicholas M. Soller, Christopher H. Leier, Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Patent number: 11235191
    Abstract: Various hand-held exercise weights are configured to fit comfortably in a person's hand. Some embodiments define a circular loop about a central opening. Some embodiments have first and second segments that change in girth as a function of distance from a juncture defined therebetween. Some of the embodiments have handgrips of different shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel
  • Publication number: 20200289872
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a resistance device including left and right sheaves and associated rewind mechanisms. Left and right cords are routed from the sheaves through left and right swivel pulleys to left and right force receiving members. A person stands on a foot platform and exercises by using her arms and/or her legs to pull the cords from the sheaves. The person may stabilize herself by placing when one or both hands on handlebars when those hands are not involved in the pulling activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: Expectations, LLC
    Inventors: Rylie Teeter Leier, Nicholas M. Soller, Christopher H. Leier, Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Patent number: 10518126
    Abstract: A linkage assembly movably supports a seat relative to a frame for movement of the seat through an elliptical path of motion. The elliptical path may be selectively adjusted by repositioning linkage assembly components relative to one another. At least some of the elliptical paths have a length greater than a diameter defined by a crank that rotates in conjunction with the elliptical motion. Handles are also movably supported by the linkage assembly for movement through an arcuate path of motion. The handle path may be selectively adjusted in conjunction with adjustment of the seat path or independent of adjustment of the seat path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Inventor: Mark A. Krull
  • Patent number: 10512812
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a cable that is extracted from a housing when the extraction force is sufficient to rotate a drum that is rotatably mounted within the housing. A brake material is sandwiched between the drum and at least one tension band to provide adjustable resistance to rotation of the drum. A knob is rotated to adjust tension in the at least one tension band without affecting tension in the brake material. Indicia associated with rotation of the knob show changes in the resistance level as the knob rotates through more than one complete revolution relative to the housing. In the absence of user applied force, a rewind spring draws the cable back into the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Patent number: 10398919
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a cable that is pulled from a sheave when the extraction force is sufficient to rotate a drum that is linked to the sheave. A brake material is sandwiched between the drum and at least one tension band to provide adjustable resistance to rotation of the drum. A knob is rotated to adjust tension in the at least one tension band without adversely affecting tension in the brake material. Indicia associated with rotation of the knob show changes in the resistance level as the knob rotates through more than one complete revolution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Publication number: 20190118025
    Abstract: Various hand-held exercise weights are configured to fit comfortably in a person's hand. Some embodiments define a circular loop about a central opening. Some embodiments have first and second segments that change in girth as a function of distance from a juncture defined therebetween. Some of the embodiments have handgrips of different shapes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Publication date: April 25, 2019
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel
  • Publication number: 20180280753
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a cable that is extracted from a housing when the extraction force is sufficient to rotate a drum that is rotatably mounted within the housing. A brake material is sandwiched between the drum and at least one tension band to provide adjustable resistance to rotation of the drum. A knob is rotated to adjust tension in the at least one tension band without affecting tension in the brake material. Indicia associated with rotation of the knob show changes in the resistance level as the knob rotates through more than one complete revolution relative to the housing. In the absence of user applied force, a rewind spring draws the cable back into the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Publication number: 20180021617
    Abstract: An exercise apparatus includes a cable that is pulled from a sheave when the extraction force is sufficient to rotate a drum that is linked to the sheave. A brake material is sandwiched between the drum and at least one tension band to provide adjustable resistance to rotation of the drum. A knob is rotated to adjust tension in the at least one tension band without adversely affecting tension in the brake material. Indicia associated with rotation of the knob show changes in the resistance level as the knob rotates through more than one complete revolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Stephen P. Ihli
  • Patent number: 9833370
    Abstract: A patient restraining device is secured to a patient supporting structure, such as an ambulance cot, to more safely support a person's body during transport from one place to another. The device includes at least one sheet of fabric and connectors secured to the fabric. With the device fastened to an ambulance cot, either directly or via the ambulance cot mattress, a person is positioned on the cot mattress, and then the fabric is wrapped about the person's body, and the connectors are secured about the person's body. Among other things, the device may be used to stabilize the abdominal mass of a bariatric patient, and thereby safely increase the effective “patient capacity” of an otherwise conventional ambulance cot. When not in use, the device is stored in one or more storage cavities defined by the ambulance cot mattress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Inventors: Richard Carlin, Keith Ishida, Mark Krull
  • Patent number: 9789348
    Abstract: A hand-held exercise weight has first and second segments that are integrally interconnected to one another at a juncture in a manner that defines an acute angle between the two segments. The resulting configuration may be described as a j-shaped weight or a check-mark-shaped weight or an asymmetrical V-shaped weight, with an inside corner filleted by a first rounded curve and an outside corner filleted by a relatively larger, second rounded curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel
  • Patent number: 9717360
    Abstract: A support structure is mounted beneath a shelf in a manner that defines a vertical axis, and a rack or wheel is mounted on the support structure for rotation relative to the support structure. Containers resiliently snap into circumferentially spaced C-shaped clips defined by the rack. On various embodiments, the support structure includes intermediate components that accommodate sliding and/or pivoting of the rack relative to the shelf, and/or a user may selectively remove the rack from the support structure. When the rack is mounted on the support structure, a user may rotate the rack relative to the support structure to alternatively rotate the containers to a forwardmost position relative to the shelf.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Mark Krull, Darrin Swagel
  • Patent number: 9604092
    Abstract: An exercise dumbbell includes a handle member and weights positioned at opposite ends of the handle member. An additional weight forms a box about the handle member and the end weights. At least one weight selector is movably mounted on the handle member to selectively engage the end weights. At least one connector is movably mounted on the box weight to selectively engage the handle member. A circuit includes at least one sensor that generates a signal that represents how much force is required to lift the handle member and any weights secured thereto, and a display that displays the force. At least one latch prevents movement of the selector and/or the connector when the handle member is removed from a support base for the weights and the handle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: NAUTILUS, INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Krull
  • Publication number: 20160250510
    Abstract: An exercise dumbbell includes a handle member and weights positioned at opposite ends of the handle member. An additional weight forms a box about the handle member and the end weights. At least one weight selector is movably mounted on the handle member to selectively engage the end weights. At least one connector is movably mounted on the box weight to selectively engage the handle member. A circuit includes at least one sensor that generates a signal that represents how much force is required to lift the handle member and any weights secured thereto, and a display that displays the force. At least one latch prevents movement of the selector and/or the connector when the handle member is removed from a support base for the weights and the handle member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventor: Mark A. Krull
  • Patent number: 9375602
    Abstract: An exercise dumbbell includes a handle member and weights positioned at opposite ends of the handle member. An additional weight forms a box about the handle member and the end weights. At least one weight selector is movably mounted on the handle member to selectively engage the end weights. At least one connector is movably mounted on the box weight to selectively engage the handle member. A circuit includes at least one sensor that generates a signal that represents how much force is required to lift the handle member and any weights secured thereto, and a display that displays the force. At least one latch prevents movement of the selector and/or the connector when the handle member is removed from a support base for the weights and the handle member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: NAUTILUS, INC.
    Inventor: Mark A. Krull
  • Publication number: 20160135634
    Abstract: A support structure is mounted beneath a shelf in a manner that defines a vertical axis, and a rack or wheel is mounted on the support structure for rotation relative to the support structure. Containers resiliently snap into circumferentially spaced C-shaped clips defined by the rack. On various embodiments, the support structure includes intermediate components that accommodate sliding and/or pivoting of the rack relative to the shelf, and/or a user may selectively remove the rack from the support structure. When the rack is mounted on the support structure, a user may rotate the rack relative to the support structure to alternatively rotate the containers to a forwardmost position relative to the shelf.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel
  • Patent number: 9233277
    Abstract: An exercise assembly includes a bench sized and configured to support the back of a supine person. In a first mode of operation, the bench is structurally supported in a fixed, upwardly facing orientation relative to an underlying floor surface. The structural support is selectively removed by the person to switch to a second mode of operation, in which the bench is tiltable laterally relative to the underlying floor surface. Left and right pivot poles are mounted on one end of the bench and selectively pivoted back and forth by the feet of the person lying supine on the bench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Inventor: Mark A. Krull
  • Patent number: 9107527
    Abstract: A storage system includes a track supported by a base that mounts onto a downwardly facing side of a horizontal shelf. An axle is slidable along the track, and a wheel is rotatably connected to the track via the axle. The wheel defines a plurality of circumferentially spaced C-clips that releasably snap about cylindrical containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel
  • Patent number: D745096
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Inventors: Mark A. Krull, Darrin M. Swagel