Configurable Exercise Apparatus

Abstract

A configurable exercise apparatus with an assembly body that has a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface; a roller ball positioned within the assembly body with a portion of the roller ball protruding from the bottom surface; and a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed in the bottom surface about the roller ball, the removable convex cap covering the roller ball when inserted into the annular recess.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to fitness and exercise apparatuses and more particularly to exercise apparatuses for use in performing push-ups, shoulder exercises, and various abdominal and core strength exercises.

BACKGROUND

Push-ups, squats, isometrics, and many other exercises that involve applying exertion to a fixed supporting surface provide convenient and portable strength training methods as they can rely primarily on body weight, with no requirement of additional weights. However, many such exercises fail to engage secondary muscles or muscle groups that would be required to balance and stabilize a body part, such as a hand or foot, against secondary movements of the body part, which is held fixed by its engagement with the fixed supporting surface. Body weight strength-training exercises are more effective athletically when such exercises challenge a user to stabilize a body part against secondary movements while the body part transmits a primary force exerted by a primarily trained muscle or muscle group to a fixed supporting surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the top surface of the assembly body of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the convex cap installed.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with the convex cap removed such that the roller ball may be utilized.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment having a flange.

FIG. 6A is a detail cross-sectional side view of the flange in FIG. 6, showing the bores or recesses to accommodate the bolt heads and threaded nuts in accordance with some embodiments.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment having a roller ball bearing assembly.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment having a plurality of roller balls.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Briefly, the present disclosure provides a configurable exercise apparatus with an assembly body that has a top surface for accommodating at least the palm, and in some embodiments also the fingertips, of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface; a roller ball positioned within the assembly body with a portion of the roller ball protruding from the bottom surface; and a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed in the bottom surface about the roller ball, the removable convex cap covering the roller ball when inserted into the annular recess.

In some embodiments the assembly body may be substantially rectangular. In other embodiments, the top surface may have another shape suitable to accommodate the user's hand, or a portion thereof while providing aesthetic design features. For example, the assembly body may be substantially an oval, substantially circular, substantially rectangular, substantially an octagon, or some other parallelogram or polygon shape, etc. In some embodiments, the assembly body is made up of an assembly body top portion and an assembly body bottom portion, where the roller ball is seated within the assembly body top portion and protruding through the assembly body bottom portion. In some embodiments the roller ball may have a diameter of approximately 2.5 inches.

In some embodiments the assembly body has a circular recess in the bottom surface and a seating for the roller ball, and the apparatus also includes a flange positioned within the circular recess in the bottom surface such that the flange top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface and such that the flange secures the roller ball in the seating.

In some embodiments the assembly body top surface may include a plurality of recesses such that a bolt head or threaded nut securing a bolt is within the recess and below the top surface. In some embodiments the apparatus may include a plurality of bolts securing the flange within the circular recess to the assembly body, with each bolt head or threaded nut of each bolt within a respective recess of the plurality of recesses in the top surface. In some embodiments the annular recess surrounds an outer diameter of the flange top surface such that the removable convex cap covers the roller ball and the flange when inserted into the annular recess.

In some embodiments the apparatus may further include a circular recess in the bottom surface and a cylindrical recess within the circular recess; and a roller ball bearing assembly having a flange portion positioned within the circular recess in the bottom surface, such that the flange portion top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface and such that a cylindrical portion of the roller ball bearing assembly is within the cylindrical recess. Further in some embodiments the roller ball bearing assembly may be secured to the assembly body by a threaded portion of the roller ball bearing assembly threaded into the bottom of the cylindrical recess. In other embodiments, the roller ball bearing assembly may be secured to the assembly body by press fitting. In such embodiments the annular recess surrounds an outer diameter of the flange portion such that the removable convex cap covers the roller ball bearing assembly when inserted into the annular recess.

In the various embodiments the assembly body may be formed from an engineered plastic material. Some specific examples of materials that may be used to form the assembly body include, but are not limited to, nylon, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, aluminum, and wood. Further, in the various embodiments, the assembly body may be formed using an additive manufacturing process.

Another disclosed embodiment provides an apparatus that has an assembly body having a top surface for accommodating at least the palm, and in some embodiments also the fingertips, of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface; a roller ball positioned within the assembly body with a portion of roller ball protruding from the bottom surface; a flange securing the roller ball within the assembly body; and a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed about an outer diameter of the flange, the removable convex cap covering the roller ball and the flange when inserted into the annular recess.

Such embodiments may also include a circular recess in the assembly body bottom surface, with the flange positioned within the circular recess, such that a flange top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface.

Another disclosed embodiment provides an apparatus that has an assembly body with a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface; a plurality of roller balls positioned such that a portion of each respective roller ball protrudes from the bottom surface; and a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed in the bottom surface about the plurality of roller balls, where the removable convex cap covers the roller balls when inserted into the annular recess.

In some embodiments the apparatus may further include a plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies, each roller ball bearing assembly including a roller ball. In some embodiments the plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies may be connected to the assembly body bottom surface, while in other embodiments the plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies may be inserted into a corresponding plurality of recesses in the assembly body bottom surface.

Turning now to the drawings wherein like numerals represent like components, FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an apparatus 100 in accordance with an embodiment. The apparatus includes an assembly body comprising a top surface 117 for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface 113. A roller ball 111 is positioned within the assembly body with a portion of the roller ball protruding from the bottom surface 113. A removable convex cap 103 includes an annular extension 105 which may be inserted into an annular recess 107 formed in the bottom surface 113 about the outer diameter of a flange 109. The flange 109 surrounds and maintains the roller ball 111 within the assembly body. The removable convex cap 103 covers the roller ball 111 when inserted into the annular recess 107.

In use, two of the apparatuses 100 are needed in order to perform some exercises however some exercises may be performed using only one apparatus 100. For example, with the convex cap 103 installed, and using two apparatuses 100, the user may perform pushups. The convex cap 103 is stationary on a carpeted or hardwood floor and creates a challenge by requiring the user to exert balancing forces when performing pushups. With the convex cap 103 removed, the user may perform more challenging push-ups, or may perform abdominal exercises (similar to using an ab roller device) by pushing their arms forwardly outward away from the body and then pulling them back in with their feet stationary on the floor behind them. The apparatus 100 may also allow the user to perform a variety of chest and shoulder exercises by allowing their arms to glide outwardly to the sides away from their body at various angles. This motion can work the shoulder, chest muscle complex as well as the core muscle group. In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 apparatus 100 assembly body is substantially rectangular, however the apparatus 100 assembly body may be any of various shapes such as, but not limited to, substantially an oval, substantially circular, substantially an octagon, or some other parallelogram or polygon shape, etc. In accordance with the embodiments, the apparatus 100 is a configurable exercise apparatus and that it may be utilized with the convex cap 103 installed, or with the convex cap 103 removed such that the roller ball 111 may be utilized.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1. An assembly body top portion 101 and an assembly body bottom portion 102 may be connected together using various means (not shown) such as, but not limited to, machine bolts, plastic forms snap together connections, dowel pins, adhesives, etc. or combinations thereof. In other embodiments, the assembly body can be a single piece formed by molding, 3D printing, or machining depending upon the materials employed. The roller ball 111 is seated in a roller ball seating 115 which is within the assembly body top portion 101 and protruding through the assembly body bottom portion 102. The annular recess 107 surrounds the roller ball 111 and the flange 109 top surface which faces the same direction as the bottom surface 113 of the assembly body bottom portion 102.

It is to be understood that the terms “top,” “bottom,” “side,” “front,” “rear,” etc. are relative terms which are used herein to facilitate description of the various drawing views but are not intended to be limitations as to various configurations that may be used in accordance with the various embodiments disclosed herein.

In the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the roller ball 111 has a diameter of approximately 2.5 inches. The width of the assembly body which includes the assembly body top portion 101 and the assembly body bottom portion 102, is approximately equal to the diameter of the roller ball 111. However, the thickness or width of the assembly body must only be proportionate to the roller ball used in the specific embodiment in order to provide space for adequate seating of the roller ball. Therefore, various diameters of roller ball may be used in accordance with the various embodiments and are not limited to diameter of approximately 2.5 inches.

FIG. 3 is a view of the top surface 117 of the assembly body of the apparatus 100 and shows the outline of a human hand 119 such as how a user's hand may be placed during the performance of push-ups or other exercises using the apparatus 100. FIG. 4 provides a side view of the apparatus 100 with the convex cap 103 installed. In this case the user maintains the apparatus 100 in a stationary position to perform a push-up and places his or her hand 119 palm down upon the top surface 117 to exert a downward force 121. The convex surface of the convex cap 103 contacts the floor 122.

During the performance of push-ups, the user has to overcome a tilting tendency 123 in all directions extending radially outward from the centerline shown through the convex cap 103 to the approximate position of the heel of the user's hand 119. FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus 100 with the convex cap 103 removed such that the roller ball 111 may be utilized. In this case the user may still use the apparatus 100 to perform push-ups, and has the added challenge of having to overcome frontward motion 125, backward motion 127, leftward motion 129, and rightward motion 131, as well as an omni-axial tilting tendency 124 (including, but not limited to, a frontward/rearward tilting T indicated in FIG. 5) due to the roller ball 111 being in contact with the floor 122 and tending to roll. Alternatively, the user may make use of the forward motion 125 and the backward motion 127 to perform an abdominal exercise by rolling their arms outwardly in front of their body and then drawing them back in thereby working the core muscles. In yet another alternative use, the user may move the apparatus 100 outward away from the body to the sides to perform a shoulder and/or chest strengthening exercise. The roller ball 111 allows the apparatus 100 to move radially from the centerline shown in FIG. 5 in any direction. Put another way, the roller ball is omnidirectional.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an apparatus 200 in accordance with an embodiment having a flange 209. The assembly body 201 includes a circular recess 210 in the bottom surface 213 and a seating 215 for a roller ball 211. The apparatus 200 also includes a flange 209 positioned within the circular recess 210 in the bottom surface 213, such that the flange 209 top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface 213 and such that the flange 209 secures the roller ball 211 in the seating 215. The example apparatus 200 assembly body top surface 217 may include a plurality of bores or recesses 227 such that a bolt head or threaded nut 223 securing a bolt 221 is within the recess 227 and below the top surface 217 to avoid contacting the user's hand. The bores or recesses are shown in further detail in FIG. 6A.

The apparatus 200 therefore may include a set of bolts 221 to secure the flange 209 within the circular recess 210 to the assembly body 201, with each bolt head or threaded nut 223 of each bolt 221 within a respective bore or recess 227 of the set of recesses in the top surface 217. The flange 209 may also include bores or recesses 225 to accommodate the bolt 221 bolt heads for aesthetics. An annular recess 207 surrounds an outer diameter of the flange 209 top surface such that the removable convex cap 203 covers the roller ball 211 and the flange 209 when an annular extension 205 is inserted into the annular recess 207.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of an apparatus 300 in accordance with an embodiment having a roller ball bearing assembly 319, such as for example, a commercially available ball caster or conveyor ball bearing assembly. The apparatus 300 assembly body 301 includes a circular recess 310 in the bottom surface and a cylindrical recess 312 within an inner diameter of the circular recess 310. A roller ball bearing assembly 319 having a flange portion 309 positioned within the circular recess 310 in the bottom surface 313, such that the flange portion 309 top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface 313 and such that a cylindrical portion of the roller bearing assembly 319 is within the cylindrical recess 312. The roller ball bearing assembly 319 is secured to the assembly body 301 either by press fitting the roller ball bearing assembly 319 into the cylindrical recess 312, by engaging a threaded portion 315 threaded into the bottom of the cylindrical recess 312, or by a combination of both. An annular recess surrounds an outer diameter of the flange portion 309 such that the removable convex cap (not shown) covers the roller ball bearing assembly 319 when inserted into the annular recess 307. A roller ball 311 of roller ball bearing assembly 319, or a convex cap, may then be placed against a floor and the user may place their hand on the top surface 317 to perform exercises using the apparatus 300.

In all of the disclosed embodiments the assembly body may be formed from an engineered plastic material. Examples of materials that may be used in forming the assembly body include, but are not limited to, nylon, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, aluminum, and wood. The various pieces of the assembly body may be formed of the same or different materials. The assembly body may be formed using an additive manufacturing process such as 3D printing, or may be formed using injection molding processes including multi-material injection molding. The various recesses may be formed as part of the molding process or part of the 3D printing process, or may be added to the assembly body by machining in some embodiments.

FIG. 8 is a bottom view of an apparatus 400 in accordance with an embodiment having two or more roller ball bearings. As with the previously described embodiments, the apparatus 400 includes an assembly body having a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface. In this example, the apparatus 400 a set of three roller balls 411 are positioned such that the roller balls 411 protrude from the bottom surface 402 of the assembly body 401. A removable convex cap (not shown) also has an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess 407 formed in the bottom surface 402 about an outer diameter surrounding the roller balls 411. When installed, the removable convex cap covers the roller balls 411.

In some embodiments, the set of roller balls 411 may be a set of roller ball bearing assemblies, where each roller ball bearing assembly includes a roller ball 411. In that case, the roller ball bearing assemblies may be connected to the assembly body bottom surface, or may be inserted into a corresponding set of recesses in the assembly body bottom surface where the recesses are designed to fit the specific roller ball bearing assemblies utilized.

While various embodiments have been illustrated and described, it is to be understood that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly body comprising a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface;

a roller ball positioned within the assembly body with a portion of the roller ball protruding from the bottom surface; and

a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed in the bottom surface about the roller ball, the removable convex cap covering the roller ball when inserted into the annular recess.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, where the assembly body is substantially rectangular.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising:

an assembly body top portion and an assembly body bottom portion, the roller ball seated within the assembly body top portion and protruding through the assembly body bottom portion.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the roller ball has a diameter of approximately 2.5 inches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a circular recess in the bottom surface and a seating for the roller ball; and

a flange positioned within the circular recess in the bottom surface, such that the flange top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface and such that the flange secures the roller ball in the seating.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the assembly body top surface comprises:

a plurality of recesses such that a bolt head or threaded nut securing a bolt is within the recess and below the top surface.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising:

a plurality of bolts securing the flange within the circular recess to the assembly body, with each bolt head or threaded nut of each bolt within a respective recess of the plurality of recesses in the top surface.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the annular recess surrounds an outer diameter of the flange top surface such that the removable convex cap covers the roller ball and the flange when inserted into the annular recess.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a circular recess in the bottom surface and a cylindrical recess within the circular recess; and

a roller ball bearing assembly having a flange portion positioned within the circular recess in the bottom surface, such that the flange portion top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface and such that a cylindrical portion of the roller bearing assembly is within the cylindrical recess.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the roller ball bearing assembly is secured to the assembly body by a threaded portion of the roller ball bearing assembly threaded into the bottom of the cylindrical recess.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the annular recess surrounds an outer diameter of the flange portion such that the removable convex cap covers the roller ball bearing assembly when inserted into the annular recess.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, where the assembly body is formed from an engineered plastic material.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, where the assembly body is formed from a material selected from the group of: nylon, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polycarbonate, aluminum and wood.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, where the assembly body is formed using an additive manufacturing process.

15. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly body having a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface;

a roller ball positioned within the assembly body with a portion of roller ball protruding from the bottom surface;

a flange securing the roller ball within the assembly body; and

a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed about an outer diameter of the flange, the removable convex cap covering the roller ball and the flange when inserted into the annular recess.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a circular recess in the assembly body bottom surface, with the flange positioned within the circular recess, such that a flange top surface is substantially flush with the bottom surface.

17. An apparatus comprising:

an assembly body comprising a top surface for accommodating the palm of a user's hand placed flatly palm down upon the top surface, and a bottom surface;

a plurality of roller balls positioned such that the roller balls protrude from the bottom surface; and

a removable convex cap having an annular extension for insertion into an annular recess formed in the bottom surface about the plurality of roller balls, the removable convex cap covering the roller balls when inserted into the annular recess.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies, each roller ball bearing assembly including a roller ball.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, where the plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies are connected to the assembly body bottom surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, where the plurality of roller ball bearing assemblies are inserted into a corresponding plurality of recesses in the assembly body bottom surface.