YOGA ACCESSORY SYSTEM

Abstract

The yoga accessory system of the preferred embodiment can be used by a user having a hand with fingers and a heel, a forearm, and a wrist connecting the hand and forearm, to reduce strain during yoga poses. The yoga accessory system of the preferred embodiment includes an elevator, having an elevator angle and a density, and a fastener that functions to couple the elevator to the heel. The elevator, coupled to the heel, functions to reposition the heel with respect to the fingers such that an angle, defined by the hand and the forearm, is modified.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/862,096 filed 19 Oct. 2007 and entitled “Yoga Accessory,” which is incorporated in its entirety by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to the yoga accessory field, and more specifically to a yoga accessory system that alleviates strain on the wrist during yoga poses.

BACKGROUND

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Repetitive Strain Injury, and Cumulative Trauma Disorder are all, unfortunately, becoming more prevalent. While some physical exercise and therapy (including yoga) can relieve these ailments, they can also place significant strain on the wrists, arms, and shoulders. The strain can become painful or damaging in poses such as in downward facing dog, plank, and side-plank. Thus, there is a need in the field of yoga accessories to alleviate strain on the wrist during these yoga poses. This invention provides a yoga accessory system to provide such alleviation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic drawings of the front and side views respectively of the elevator and the first variation of the fastener of the yoga accessory system of the first preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic drawings of a user's hand and the angle defined by the hand and the forearm.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the elevator and the elevator angle and the replacement elevator and the replacement angle.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are schematic drawings of the side and front view respectively of the first version of the fourth variation of the elevator.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of the pocket of the fastener.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of the second variation of the fastener.

FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing of the yoga accessory system and the package.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is not intended to limit the invention to these preferred embodiments, but rather to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use this invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the yoga accessory system 10 couples to a hand 16 of a user. The hand 16 has a heel 18 and fingers 20 and is connected to a forearm 22 through a wrist 24. The yoga accessory system 10 of the preferred embodiment includes an elevator 12, having an elevator angle 26 and a density, and a fastener 14 that functions to couple the elevator 12 to the heel 18. The elevator 12, coupled to the heel 18, functions to reposition the heel 18 with respect to the fingers 20 such that an angle 28, defined by the hand and the forearm, is modified, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

The elevator 12 of the preferred embodiment functions to elevate the heel 18 of the user's hand relative to the fingers 20 located at the top of the user's hand. By elevating the heel 18 of the hand relative to the fingers 20, the user's wrist 24 experiences smaller angles 28 during particular poses, such as downward facing dog, and consequently experiences less strain, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. The angle 28, as defined by the palm of the hand and the forearm 22, is preferably reduced at least 5°, and more preferably at least 10°, but may be reduced up to 45°. The elevator 12 preferably has an elevator angle 26 and a density. The elevator 12 is preferably made of a relatively dense material, such that the density is such that the elevator 12 does not completely collapse under the partial weight of the user. The relatively dense material is preferably cork or natural latex rubber, but may alternatively be any suitable material.

The fastener 14 of the preferred embodiment functions to hold the elevator to the palm of the hand during different poses, as one experiences during a so-called “flow yoga” class. In a first variation, the fastener 14 is a glove with a front side and a back side, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The elevator 12 is attached to the front side of the glove with adhesive or any other suitable method or device. As shown in FIG. 6, the glove may further include a pocket 30 coupled to the front side of the glove such that the elevator 12 is preferably inserted into the pocket 30 and is therefore removably coupled to the front side of the glove. The elevator 12 may be coupled to the glove in any other suitable fashion. The glove may further include fingers, may include “cut off” fingers”, or may include a thong-like strap 38 between the fingers that function to couple the fastener 14 to the hand 16 of the user. The thong-like strap 38 preferably functions to couple around at least one finger or between two fingers of the hand 16, as shown in FIG. 7.

In a second variation, the fastener 14 is merely a strap that wraps around the hand of the user, as shown in FIG. 7. The wrap may further include a pocket 30 coupled to the front side of the wrap such that the elevator 12 is preferably inserted into the pocket 30 and is therefore removably coupled to the wrap. The elevator 12 may be coupled to the wrap in any other suitable fashion. In a third variation, the elevator is attached to a shirt sleeve or any other suitable article worn by the user.

In a fourth variation, the elevator includes a set of varying materials, densities, angles, etc. that can be interchanged. In a first version of the fourth variation, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the yoga accessory system includes a first portion having a first density and a first elevator angle 26′ and a second portion having a second density and a second elevator angle 26″. The first portion 12′ of the elevator is preferably different than the second portion 12″ of the elevator by having a different density or a different elevation angle. For example, the first density may be more dense than the second density and/or the first elevator angle 26′ may be greater than the second elevator angle 26″.

In a second version of the fourth variation, as shown in FIG. 4, the yoga accessory system 10 further includes a replacement elevator 32 that is interchangeable with the elevator 12. The replacement elevator preferably has a replacement angle 34 and a replacement density. In this version, the fastener may couple the replacement elevator to the heel 18 in place of the elevator 12 or alternatively may couple the replacement elevator 32 to the heel 18 in addition to the elevator 12. In other variations, the fastener 14 may be any suitable device or adhesive or method that temporarily fastens the elevator to the hand of a user during a yoga or exercise routine.

As shown in FIG. 8, a method of packaging a yoga accessory system 10 that couples to a hand 16 of a user having a heel 18, the method of packaging the yoga accessory system preferably includes any combination of the following steps (or any other suitable steps):

• providing an elevator 12, having an elevator angle 26 and a density;
• providing a replacement elevator 32, having a replacement angle 34 and replacement density;
• providing a fastener 14 that functions to couple the elevator 12 and the replacement elevator 32 to the heel 18; and
• placing the elevator 12, the replacement elevator 32, and the fastener 14 in a package 36.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, a method of using a yoga accessory system that couples to a hand of a user having a heel and fingers and that is connected to a forearm through a wrist, the method of using the yoga accessory system preferably includes any combination of the following steps (or any other suitable steps):

• providing an elevator 12, having an elevator angle 26 and a density;
• coupling the elevator 12 to the heel 18 of the hand;
• placing the hand onto a mat or surface, thereby repositioning the heel with respect to the fingers and modifying an angle defined by the hand and the forearm.

Although omitted for conciseness, the preferred embodiments include every combination and permutation of the various elevators 12 and fasteners 14 and methods of use and packaging.

As a person skilled in the art will recognize from the previous detailed description and from the figures and claims, modifications and changes can be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the scope of this invention defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. A yoga accessory system for a user having a hand with fingers and a heel, a forearm, and a wrist connecting the hand and forearm, the yoga accessory system comprising:

an elevator having an elevator angle and a density; and

a fastener that couples the elevator to the heel;

wherein the elevator, when coupled to the heel of the hand of the user and when placed on a mat or surface, functions to reposition the heel with respect to the fingers such that an angle, defined by the hand and the forearm, is modified.

2. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the angle defined by the hand and the forearm is reduced by more than 5°.

3. The yoga accessory system of claim 2 wherein the angle defined by the hand and the forearm is reduced by more than 10°.

4. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the density of the elevator is such that the elevator does not completely collapse under the partial weight of the user.

5. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the elevator has a first portion having a first density and a second portion having a second density, wherein the second density is less dense than the first density.

6. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the elevator has a first portion having a first elevator angle and a second portion having a second elevator angle, wherein the second elevator angle is smaller than the first elevator angle.

7. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 further including a replacement elevator having a replacement angle and a replacement density.

8. The yoga accessory system of claim 7 wherein the angle of the elevator is different than the replacement angle of the replacement elevator.

9. The yoga accessory system of claim 7 wherein the density of the elevator is different than the replacement density of the replacement elevator.

10. The yoga accessory system of claim 7 wherein the fastener selectively couples either the elevator or the replacement elevator to the heel.

11. The yoga accessory system of claim 7 wherein the fastener selectively couples both the elevator and the replacement elevator to the heel.

12. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the fastener is a glove with a front side.

13. The yoga accessory system of claim 12 wherein the glove further includes a pocket coupled to the front side of the glove such that the elevator is inserted into the pocket and is removably coupled to the front side of the glove.

14. The yoga accessory system of claim 12 wherein the glove further includes fingers that couple to a portion of the fingers of the hand.

15. The yoga accessory system of claim 12 wherein the glove further includes a thong-like strap that couples between a portion of the fingers of the hand.

16. The yoga accessory system of claim 15 wherein the thong-like strap functions to couple around at least one finger of the hand.

17. The yoga accessory system of claim 1 wherein the fastener is a strap that wraps around the hand of the user.

18. The yoga accessory system of claim 16 wherein the wrap further includes a pocket such that the elevator is inserted into the pocket and is removably coupled to the wrap.

19. A method of packaging a yoga accessory system for a user having a hand with fingers and a heel, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an elevator having an elevator angle and a density;

providing a replacement elevator having a replacement angle and replacement density;

providing a fastener that selectively couples the elevator and the replacement elevator to the heel; and

placing the elevator, the replacement elevator, and the fastener in a package.

20. A method of reducing strain during yoga poses for a user, who has a hand with fingers and a heel, a forearm, and a wrist connecting the hand and forearm, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an elevator having an elevator angle and a density;

coupling the elevator to the heel of the hand; and

placing the hand onto a mat or surface, thereby repositioning the heel with respect to the fingers and modifying an angle defined by the hand and the forearm.