TRACTION-SURFACED YOGA MAT
A rubber or foam type yoga mat whose top surface is formed with lateral ridges or swells running continuously from one side of the mat to the other to provide consistent, easily-cleaned traction for hands and feet without the need for a sticky surface material. In one embodiment, groups of closely-spaced small rounded ridges are formed in the mat surface, either over the full length of the mat or in spaced traction zones for hands and feet. In another embodiment, single wide swells are formed in the mat surface in traction zones, each swell sufficiently wide to support or span a hand or foot. The mat also includes an automatically aligned set of integrated fasteners for securing the mat in a rolled condition.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of U.S. provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/031,906 filed on Aug. 1, 2014, which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
FIELDThe subject matter of the present application is in the field of yoga mats.
BACKGROUNDYoga mats are relatively thin, soft mats providing a clean, high-traction surface for performing certain yoga exercises. The mats are often designed to be portable, and generally can be rolled up for storage and transport between yoga sessions. Many newer mats are made of thin foam or synthetic or natural rubber and are sometimes referred to as “sticky mats” (depending on surface texture and material), and will hereafter be referred to as rubber mats. More traditional mats are made from various fibers and natural materials.
Yoga techniques often require considerable shear force exerted on the surface of the mat by the practitioner, exerted primarily through the hands and feet, although hips, knees, and other portions of the body may be used. It is generally important that at least the hands and feet stay anchored on the mat during these techniques.
The textures of existing rubber mats are often fairly fine, amounting to small rectangular grid or woven-type patterns, similar to that of carpet underlay (the original “sticky mats”). Such fine-textured rubber mats can be unpleasant on the skin, difficult to clean, and do not always provide an ideal fraction surface for the practitioner. Also, prior rubber mats are not usually provided with a convenient means for keeping them rolled up.
BRIEF SUMMARYI have invented a rubber yoga mat surface comprising rounded lateral ridges running from side to side on at least certain zones of the mat's upper surface. The ridges do not require a sticky texture in order to provide good traction for hands and feet in the shear plane of the mat, they are comfortable, they are easy to clean, and they are aesthetically pleasing.
In a first embodiment that will be called a “ridge” embodiment, the ridges comprise regions of small parallel lateral ridges having a width or diameter significantly less than that of a hand or foot, such that a hand or foot placed substantially flat on the mat bridges multiple ridges at a time.
In a first version of the ridge embodiment, the ridges repeat continuously along the full length of the mat to essentially cover its entire surface.
In a second version of the ridge embodiment, groups of ridges are clustered together in spaced traction zones for hand, foot, or hip placement.
In a third version of the ridge embodiment, the mat also includes diagonal and longitudinal ridges (hereafter collectively “longitudinal” ridges, to distinguish them from the lateral or horizontal ridges). These longitudinal ridges may cross or intersect the lateral ridges, or they may be limited to zones between lateral ridges, or there may a combination of the two.
In a second embodiment that will be called a “swell” embodiment, spaced traction zones are each formed by a single large rounded ridge (“swell”) with a width significantly greater than its vertical diameter or height. For example, the width of a swell approximates the length of an average-size palm or forefoot, while the height of the swell may be on the order of ½″ inch. Like the smaller ridges in the first embodiment, the swells are lateral, i.e. they run from one side of the mat to the other.
A further feature of my yoga mat is an optional roll-fastening structure integrated with the mat, comprising a short length of male hook-and-loop fastener projecting from a first end of the mat, hook side up, when the mat is unrolled; and a mating piece of female hook-and-loop fastener located on the underside of the mat, loop side down, spaced from the first end a distance corresponding to the circumference of the rolled mat. The mat is rolled from its second end toward the first end, such that the female fastener on the bottom of the mat rolls into contact with the male fastener just as the mat is finished being rolled up.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description below, in light of the accompanying drawings.
Referring first to
Mat 10 is generally rectangular and has a top 12, bottom 14, upper and lower ends 16, and sides 18. The dimensions of the mat may vary with typical yoga mat dimensions. By way of example, mat 10 may be on the order of 72″ (180 cm) long, 24″ (60 cm) wide, and with a nominal thickness of ⅛″ (3 mm) to ¼″ (6 mm) depending on desired cushioning and portability. These dimensions are examples and not intended to be limiting.
Ridges 20 are separated by junctions 21 as shown in
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Fasteners 50 and 60 could be switched, with female fastener 60 projecting from end 16 and male fastener 50 secured to the bottom 14. The manner of securing fasteners 50 and 60 to the mat may vary, including but not limited to adhesive connection, mechanical fastener, or by molding the fasteners into the mat material. Fasteners 50 and 60 may be single pieces, continuous strips across the width of the mat, or multiple spaced pieces of fastener. And while hook-and-loop fastener material is shown as the preferred example, other types of mating fastener could be located on the mat at 50 and 60, and used in similar fashion, including but not limited to flat flexible magnetic material, snaps, buttons, ties, etc.
It will finally be understood that the disclosed embodiments represent presently preferred examples of how to make and use the invention, but are intended to enable rather than limit the invention. Variations and modifications of the illustrated examples in the foregoing written specification and drawings may be possible without departing from the scope of the invention. It should further be understood that to the extent the term “invention” is used in the written specification, it is not to be construed as a limiting term as to number of claimed or disclosed inventions or discoveries or the scope of any such inventions or discoveries, but as a term which has long been conveniently and widely used to describe new and useful improvements in science and the useful arts. The scope of the invention supported by the above disclosure should accordingly be construed within the scope of what it teaches and suggests to those skilled in the art, and within the scope of any claims that the above disclosure supports in this provisional application or in any non-provisional application claiming priority to this provisional application.
Claims
1. A generally rectangular rubber-type yoga mat having a top surface, a bottom surface, sides, and upper and lower ends, the improvement comprising:
- a plurality of raised, rounded lateral ridges running from side to side over at least a portion of the top surface of the mat, the ridges running continuously across the mat in essentially uninterrupted fashion, generally perpendicular to a mat centerline and generally parallel to one another.
2. The yoga mat of claim 1, wherein the lateral ridges comprise closely spaced small ridges of a width requiring multiple lateral ridges to support or span a hand or foot or intermediate body portion of a person using the mat.
3. The yoga mat of claim 2, wherein groups of the lateral ridges are located in at least two traction zones spaced from one another, with a first traction zone adjacent the upper end of the yoga mat and a second traction zone adjacent the lower end of the yoga mat.
4. The yoga mat of claim 1, wherein the lateral ridges comprise single wide swells spaced from one another, a first swell located adjacent the upper end of the yoga mat and defining a first traction zone, and a second swell located at adjacent the lower end of the yoga mat and defining a second traction zone.
5. A roll-securing structure for a substantially rectangular yoga mat having a top surface, a bottom surface, sides, and upper and lower ends, comprising:
- a first fastener projecting from the upper end of the mat, and a second fastener secured to the bottom surface of the mat and located a distance from the upper end of the mat corresponding to a rolled circumference of the mat, wherein the first and second fasteners are aligned to be mated when the mat is rolled from the lower end toward the upper end.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 29, 2015
Publication Date: Feb 4, 2016
Inventor: Paul H. Sutherland (Suttons Bay, MI)
Application Number: 14/812,594