TRAY FOR HOLDING EXERCISE PUTTY AND PUTTY TOOLS
A tray for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools includes a base and a cover. The base includes a plurality of receptacles in the form of recessed portions into which exercise putty and putty therapy tools are received. The recessed portions that define the tool receptacles are particularly shaped to conform to the shape of the tools that they hold. A therapeutic exercise kit includes the tray, exercise putty and putty therapy tools.
This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/599,878, filed on Dec. 18, 2017, and entitled “Tray for Holding Exercise Putty and Putty Tools”, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference and on which priority is hereby claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the InventionThe present invention generally relates to storage units for holding medical tools and more particularly relates to trays for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools.
Description of the Prior ArtVarious medical injuries and conditions often benefit from rehabilitation exercises to increase strength, dexterity and range of motion. Exercise putty, which is also referred to as therapy putty, is often utilized as a therapy for hand, wrist and upper extremity injuries and conditioning. Users can manipulate the putty with their hands and perform various exercises known to be beneficial for a particular injury or condition. Exercise putties having varying viscosities are available to make manipulation thereof more or less strenuous, thus varying the difficulty of the exercise being performed. Exercise putty is typically stored in a cylindrical container. When a user desires to perform an exercise with the putty, the putty is removed from the container and placed either on a hard surface or in the hands of the user. When the exercise is complete, the user must return the putty to the storage container; however, the user who has a hand injury and after undergoing a rigorous therapy routine, may find it difficult to replace the putty back into the container, as the putty may need to be further manipulated and reshaped to conform to the shape of the container.
Exercise putty can also be used in conjunction with various tools that, when manipulated by a user, replicate natural human functional movements. For example, an L-bar tool, peg-turn tool, cap-turn tool, key-turn tool and knob-turn tool are often utilized by a user to manipulate the exercise putty as a method of therapy and rehabilitation. These tools are often sold individually or as a standardized set and may be offered in combination with various exercise putties. To utilize the tools in a particular therapy exercise, the user removes the putty from the storage container and places it on a hard surface. The user then selects a particular therapy tool, which is often loosely stored in a drawer or bag with other tools, and manipulates the putty with the tool. When the user is done with the exercise, the user returns the tool to the bag and returns the putty to the storage container. The storage container for the putty is separate from the therapy tools and oftentimes the tools are mislaid or the putty cannot be found.
A typical therapy routine utilizes a series of exercises utilizing an array of tools. Often, it is undesirable to take long pauses between exercises to search for and retrieve a particular exercise tool, which are commonly stored loosely in a drawer or bag. Furthermore, it is time consuming to remove and replace the exercise putty from cylindrical storage containers. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a combined storage device for exercise putty and the therapy tools used therewith. By providing a kit where a patient can work the putty, such precludes the need for the therapist to clean/sanitize the table where it would normally be used in the clinic environment.
A kit also provides a convenient way to bring the tools and putty to clients who need therapy at home. The therapist need only the one kit which will provide her/him with the putty, tools and a clean work place in a convenient manner.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing exercise putty.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing and organizing putty therapy tools.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tray on which putty exercises may be performed.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a tray that includes a putty storage receptacle that allows exercise putty to naturally return to a pre-manipulated shape after use.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a tray for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools that securely holds the putty and tools when not in use.
In accordance with one form of the present invention, a tray for storing and organizing exercise putty and putty therapy tools is provided. The tray includes a base and a cover that is situated on the base. The base includes a plurality of receptacles in the form of recessed portions into which exercise putty and putty therapy tools are received. The recessed portions defining the tool receptacles are particularly shaped to conform to the shape of the tools that they hold. The cover is selectively engageable with and joinable to the base to secure the putty and tools within the recessed portions.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the putty receptacle in the base of the tray provides a surface or containment area of sufficient size to allow the therapy exercises to be performed directly in the tray without the need to remove the putty from the tray and replacing it after exercises have been completed. Furthermore, since both the putty and the exercise tools are stored together in the same tray of the present invention, and not separately, it is less likely that the tools or the putty will be mislaid. Additionally, because the tool receptacles are formed with the same general shape of the tools that they hold, the user of the present invention can easily see if he has forgotten to return a tool to the tray and can readily identify the mislaid tool from viewing the overall shape of the empty tool receptacle.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Reference should initially be made to
As can be seen in
In one embodiment of the present invention, the base 4 is generally rectangular in shape and includes a first sidewall 24, a second sidewall 26, a third sidewall 28 and a fourth sidewall 30, each of which extends downwardly from the bottom surface 12 of the base. The first sidewall 24 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the third sidewall 28, and the second sidewall 26 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the fourth sidewall 30. The cover 6 is complementary shaped to the base 4 and also includes a first sidewall 32, a second sidewall 34, a third sidewall 36 and a fourth sidewall 38, each of which extends downwardly from the bottom surface 18 thereof. The first sidewall 32 of the cover 6 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the third sidewall 36 of the cover 6, and the second sidewall 34 of the cover 6 is situated opposite and generally parallel to the fourth sidewall 38 of the cover 6. As can be seen in
The base 4 further includes at least one putty receptacle 40 for storing the exercise putty. The putty receptacle 40 is formed as a rectangular (or some other shape) recessed portion 42 that extends through the top surface 10 thereof. The recessed portion 42 preferably includes a first pair of opposite sidewalls 44 and a second pair of opposite sidewalls 46, the first pair of sidewalls 44 being generally perpendicular to the second pair of sidewalls 46. The recessed portion 42 further includes a bottom surface 48 that extends between the first and second pairs of sidewalls 44, 46 that is situated below the top surface 10 of the base 4. When the exercise putty is stored within the recessed portion 42 of the putty receptacle 40 and not being used, it spreads out due to its Newtonian properties. Accordingly, as the putty spreads out during rest, it is retained within the recessed portion 42 by the bottom surface 48 and sidewalls 44, 46 thereof and thereby, over time, conforms to the shape of the putty receptacle 40, ready for reuse.
The base 4 further includes at least one tool receptacle 50. As will be described in greater detail in the forthcoming paragraphs, the tool receptacle 50 is formed as a recessed portion 52 that extends through the top surface 10 of the base 4. Preferably, the base 4 includes a plurality of tool receptacles 50 so that a standard set of putty therapy tools 3 comprising an L-bar tool, peg-turn tool, cap-turn tool, key-turn tool and knob-turn tool may be stored therein. The putty receptacle 40 is preferably situated centrally on the base 4 and the tool receptacles 50 are preferably situated adjacent to the putty receptacle 40.
As can be seen in
Preferably, the bottom surfaces 48, 56 of the recessed portions 42, 52 of both the putty receptacle 40 and tool receptacles 50 are formed to a depth sufficiently lower than the top surface 10 of the base so that, when the tools 3 and putty are received within the recessed portions 52, 42, they do not extend beyond the top surface 10 of the base 4. Accordingly, when the cover 6 is situated on the base 4, the bottom surface 18 of the cover 6 rests on the top surface 10 of the base 4 thereby holding the putty and tools within their respective receptacles 42, 52. The cover 6 may rest on and be supported by the base 4 in a raised position above the top surface 10 of the base 4 to provide sufficient space between the cover 6 and the base 4 to accommodate exercise tools 3 having portions thereof that protrude from and above the top surface 10 of the base 4.
As explained in the preceding paragraphs, the cover 6 is joinable to the base 4 and secures the putty and tools 3 within the recessed portions 42, 52 of the base. As can be seen in
The base 4 may also include two or more handle portions 64 formed on a pair of opposite sidewalls thereof. As can be seen in
Each handle 66, 68 is formed as a cutout 70 in each sidewall 24, 28. The handles 66, 68 may further include a flange 72 that extends outwardly from a bottom edge 74 of each sidewall 24, 28 along the periphery of the cutout 70. The flange 72 may also extend inwardly towards an internal cavity 76 of the base 4 defined by the sidewalls 24, 26, 28, 30 that extend downwardly therefrom.
The cover 6 may also includes a complementary set of handles 78, 80 that align with and are situated over the handles 66, 68 formed in the base 4, as shown in
The base 4 and the cover 6 may be constructed by a variety of methods including injection molding and blow molding. Furthermore, the base 4 and cover 6 may be formed of a variety of materials. For example, the base 4 may be formed of ⅛″ Haircell Black ABS. The cover 6 may be formed of 0.100 clear PETG, or another clear material, so that the contents of the recessed portions 42, 52 in the base 4 are readily viewable by a user. In one embodiment, the tray 2 formed in accordance with the present invention functions as a storage device for the therapy components including the putty and tools 3 so that both the tools 3 and the putty may be easily located together by the user. When a user desires to perform an exercise using the putty, the putty and a particular putty therapy tool 3 are removed from the tray 2 and the exercise is performed on a separate surface. In another embodiment, the base 4 is constructed to be durable and sufficiently sturdy so that a user may perform the exercises directly on the putty that is situated within the recessed portion 42 in the top surface 10 of the base 4. In both forms of the present invention, whether the exercise is performed directly on the base 4 or separately, the putty, when not in use or when returned to the tray 2, over time naturally conforms and returns to the shape of the recessed portion 42 of the base 4 due to the Newtonian properties of the putty so that it is ready for future exercises. Also, the user can easily see if he has forgotten to return a tool 3 to the tray 2, as well as the particular tool 3 that was not returned, from viewing the overall shape of the empty tool receptacle 50.
A second embodiment of the storage tray of the present invention is shown in
An alternative to the elastic straps 102a or hook and loop fasteners 102b shown in
In another alternative embodiment, and as shown in
In yet another alternative embodiment, and as shown in
Although recesses, straps, hook and loop fasteners, magnets, and clips are shown and described for holding the tools in place on the base of the storage tray, it should be realized that other fastening means and fasteners may be used for this purpose, and such other fasteners are envisioned to be within the scope of the present invention.
Although illustrative embodiments of the present invention have been described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various other changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools, which comprises:
- a base, the base having a top surface and an exercise putty-receiving receptacle formed therein, the exercise putty-receiving receptacle being formed as a recessed section of the top surface of the base, the receptacle being provided for containing exercise putty therein; and
- means for holding at least one exercise putty tool to the top surface of the base.
2. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 1, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes at least one recessed portion of the top surface of the base, the at least one recessed portion defining a recess for receiving the at least one exercise putty tool.
3. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 2, wherein the at least one recessed portion is sufficiently recessed below the top surface of the base such that the at least one exercise putty tool received within the recess defined by the at least one recessed portion does not protrude above the top surface of the base.
4. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 2, wherein the at least one recessed portion defines the tool receiving recess with a shape that generally conforms to the outer peripheral shape of the at least one exercise putty tool receivable by the recess.
5. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 2, wherein the exercise putty-receiving receptacle is located generally centrally on the top surface of the base; and
- wherein the at least one recessed tool-receiving portion of the top surface is situated in proximity to the centrally-located, exercise putty-receiving receptacle.
6. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 1, wherein the means for holding at least one exercise putty tool includes:
- indicia situated on the top surface of the base, the indicia defining an outline of the at least one exercise putty tool, the outline generally conforming to the outer peripheral shape of the at least one exercise putty tool; and
- means for selectively holding the at least one exercise putty tool in proximity to the outline and to the top surface of the base.
7. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 6, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a fastening strap, the fastening strap bridging the outline and the at least one exercise putty tool received thereunder.
8. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 7, wherein the fastening strap includes mating hook and loop fasteners.
9. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 7, wherein the fastening strap includes an elastic band.
10. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 6, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a resilient clip, the resilient clip being mounted on the top surface of the base, the clip having resilient spaced apart members which define therebetween a putty tool receiving pocket for receiving the at least one exercise putty tool.
11. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 6, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a clip, the clip being mounted on the top surface of the base adjacent to the outline, the clip including an elongated arm, the elongated arm being positioned at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated thereunder.
12. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 6, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a rotatable clip, the rotatable clip being mounted on the top surface of the base adjacent to the outline, the clip including an elongated arm, the clip being rotatable on the top surface between a first position in which the elongated arm is positioned to extend at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated thereunder, and a second position in which the elongated arm is not positioned to extend at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated at the outline.
13. A tray for holding exercise putty and exercise putty tools as defined by claim 1, which further comprises:
- a cover, the cover being situated on the base and being removable therefrom.
14. A therapeutic exercise kit, which comprises:
- exercise putty;
- at least one exercise putty tool; and
- a tray for holding the exercise putty and the at least one exercise putty tool, the tray including: a base, the base having a top surface and an exercise putty-receiving receptacle formed therein, the exercise putty-receiving receptacle being formed as a recessed section of the top surface of the base, the receptacle being provided for and containing the exercise putty therein; and means for holding the at least one exercise putty tool to the top surface of the base.
15. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 14, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes at least one recessed portion of the top surface of the base, the at least one recessed portion defining a recess for receiving the at least one exercise putty tool, the at least one exercise putty tool being received by the recess.
16. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 15, wherein the at least one recessed portion is sufficiently recessed below the top surface of the base such that the at least one exercise putty tool received within the recess defined by the at least one recessed portion does not protrude above the top surface of the base.
17. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 15, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool has an outer peripheral shape; and
- wherein the at least one recessed portion defines the tool receiving recess with a shape that generally conforms to the outer peripheral shape of the at least one exercise putty tool received by the recess.
18. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 15, wherein the exercise putty-receiving receptacle is located generally centrally on the top surface of the base; and
- wherein the at least one recessed tool-receiving portion of the top surface is situated in proximity to the centrally-located, exercise putty-receiving receptacle.
19. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 14, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool has an outer peripheral shape; and
- wherein the means for holding the at least one exercise putty tool includes:
- indicia situated on the top surface of the base, the indicia defining an outline of the at least one exercise putty tool, the outline generally conforming to the outer peripheral shape of the at least one exercise putty tool; and
- means for selectively holding the at least one exercise putty tool in proximity to the outline and to the top surface of the base.
20. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 19, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a fastening strap, the fastening strap bridging the outline and the at least one exercise putty tool received thereunder.
21. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 20, wherein the fastening strap includes mating hook and loop fasteners.
22. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 20, wherein the fastening strap includes an elastic band.
23. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 19, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a resilient clip, the resilient clip being mounted on the top surface of the base, the clip having resilient spaced apart members which define therebetween a putty tool receiving pocket for receiving the at least one exercise putty tool.
24. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 19, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a clip, the clip being mounted on the top surface of the base adjacent to the outline, the clip including an elongated arm, the elongated arm being positioned at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated thereunder.
25. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 19, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes a rotatable clip, the rotatable clip being mounted on the top surface of the base adjacent to the outline, the clip including an elongated arm, the clip being rotatable on the top surface between a first position in which the elongated arm is positioned to extend at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated thereunder, and a second position in which the elongated arm is not positioned to extend at least partially across the putty tool outline and the at least one exercise putty tool situated at the outline.
26. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 19, wherein the at least one exercise putty tool includes at least a portion thereof formed from a magnetically attractable material;
- wherein the base includes a bottom surface situated opposite the top surface; and
- wherein the at least one exercise putty tool holding means includes at least one magnet, the at least one magnet being affixed to one of the top surface and the bottom surface of the base in proximity to the indicia defining an outline of the at least one exercise putty tool, the at least one putty tool being magnetically attracted to the at least one magnet and selectively held in place on the top surface of the base by the magnetic attraction between the at least one putty tool and the at least one magnet.
27. A therapeutic exercise kit as defined by claim 14, wherein the tray further includes a cover, the cover being situated on the base and being removable therefrom.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 20, 2018
Publication Date: Jun 20, 2019
Inventor: M. Gregory Minuto (Smithtown, NY)
Application Number: 15/958,051