Smart Bag

Abstract

A smart bag offers tactical, visual, and audible interactive features for workouts and has numerous benefits: enhance aerobic fitness, core stability, coordination, power, stamina, and endurance. The smart bag improves upper-body strength and strengthen bones and ligaments and enhances full body boxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), kickboxing techniques. The smart bag provides real-time guidance to indulge the user in a challenging experience. The workout guidance is presented through illuminating and extinguishing a series of light units integrated with sensors. The light units are distributed on the bag, wherein the duration and sequence of illumination of individual light units are controlled by a control system. Through interacting with the control system, the user achieves focused training at the desired intensity level that emphasizes on power, speed, accuracy, and reaction. Further, the control system can record boxing and biometric data using the sensors.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to fitness equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to a smart bag system for martial arts practice, boxing, punching, kicking, and other physical sports and workouts. The smart bag system provides a user with various exercise challenge levels by illuminating devices on the bag at pre-determined time intervals and durations for the user to throw punches and/or kicks at. Further, the smart bag system includes a control system and a plurality of sensors to turn off the illuminating devices upon impact and provide various exercise measurement data to the user through wireless communication.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Boxing, including punching, kicking, martial arts, etc., provides the magic of body workout. Bursts of anaerobic activity full of sustained intensity alternate with short rest periods, thus giving it a contemporary jargon as “high-intensity interval training”. It is a more efficient workout to burn body fat than traditional “steady-state” exercises such as jogging. The most common equipment used by amateur and professional boxers alike is a punching bag, which can be a hanging bag, free standing bag, heavy bag, kicking bag, etc. Any bag for boxing use requires durability and resiliency to provide a safe and consistent adversary to physical impacts at various intensities.

Overall, boxing is about punching, but not only punching hard. Boxing, especially sparring matches, also requires fast punching, combination punching, accurate punching, and timed punching. A conventional free stand punching bag or even a swinging bag may not be able to challenge many aspects of boxing, which may include boredom, focus, accuracy, intensity, speed, training/workout record, biometric data, etc. This may cause a user who exercises boxing using bags to get into negative habits beyond feeling bored most of the time. The most problematic habit may be the so-called “lazy eyes” in boxers. During countless, repetitive punching and/or kicking throws, the user may get a little too comfortable with the boxing bag resulting in losing focus and taking eyes off the bag. The negative consequence may further demotivate the user in addition to the boring feeling that the exercise brings, and even causes the user to get punched by easy and straight punches if the user were to spar someone in a ring. A free-standing bag, a double-end bag or a trainer with focus mitts may help to engage the user without losing focus. But these are not efficient solutions to use who exercise alone most of the time.

Another drawback of using conventional bags is the development of bad balance. The user may like to focus too much on impact power by tangling up feet and/or pushing all the user's bodyweight into each punch. This can easily cause the user to lose balance, miss the target, fall, and/or incur injury. Additionally, using conventional bags cannot help the user to emphasize on speed since there is no mechanism to motivate or force the user to throw every punch with speed. Further, most amateur and professional boxers would prefer to keep track of workout/training records that include intensity, speed, total punches, on-target accuracy, biometric data such as calories consumed, heartbeat rates, etc. Most conventional bags, however, do not have the capabilities for such provisions.

Some most recent boxing bags may have made some improvements over the conventional systems. One of the most popular improvements is the provision of wireless communication using a personal computing (PC) device between the user and the boxing system. Some boxing system may incorporate one or more sensors to record and make available to the user exercise and biometric data. This kind of bag system, however, does not engage the user during boxing exercises so that the user may focus on not only punching power, but also speed, accuracy of the target.

Thus, it is the objective of the present invention to provide a solution to the abovementioned problems, drawbacks and issues associated with the conventional boxing bag systems and related recent improvements. The present invention, a smart bag, offers a smart bag system that incorporates tactical, visual, and audible interactive operating features. The smart bag provides real-time guidance to the user through any random and/or predefined workout session to indulge the use in a challenging and joyful experience. The workout guidance is conveniently presented to the user through illuminating and extinguishing a series of light units integrated with sensors per predetermined challenge levels. The light units are distributed on the exterior body of the boxing bag, wherein the duration and sequence of illumination of individual light units are controlled by a control system of the smart bag. Through the selection of a specific challenge level, the user can achieve a focused boxing training through the interactive bag system at the desired intensity level that emphasizes on power, speed, accuracy, and reaction. Further, the sensors integrated in the light units can record boxing and user biometric data. The data can be displayed on the control system and sent to the user through a communication system using a corresponding PC device of the user. The smart bag may be embodied in various sizes, shapes, installation methods such as wall and ceiling hanging units to full height floor-standing models.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A smart bag system offers tactical, visual, and audible interactive operating features for boxing, punching, kicking, martial arts workouts, or any workout using a bag system. The smart bag system has numerous benefits: enhance aerobic fitness, core stability, coordination, power, stamina, and endurance. The smart bag improves upper-body strength and strengthen bones and ligaments and enhances full body boxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), kickboxing techniques. Through the integrated punching bag with an interactive control system, the smart bag system provides real-time guidance to a user with random or predefined workout sessions, which indulge the use in a challenging and joyful experience to overcome the often dullness and loss of focus/balance associated with most conventional punching bag systems.

The workout guidance of the smart bag system is presented through the use of the interaction with the control system, illumination and extinguishing of a series of light units, each of which is integrated with sensors. The light units are distributed on the exterior body of a boxing bag, wherein the duration and sequence of illumination of individual light units are controlled by the control system. Through interacting with the control system to select specific challenge levels and/or intensity levels, the user can achieve focused boxing training at the desired intensity level that emphasizes on power, speed, accuracy, and reaction. Further, the control system can record boxing and biometric data using the sensors. The data can be displayed and/or sent to the user through a corresponding PC device of the user. The smart bag may be embodied in various sizes, shapes, installation methods such as wall and ceiling hanging units to full height floor-standing models.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hanging bag embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a free-standing bag embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a heavy column embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a control system of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an electrical diagram of the present invention.

DETAIL DESCRIPTIONS OF THE INVENTION

All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the present invention, called “smart bag” hereafter, is a training and exercise equipment for boxing, punching, kicking, martial arts, etc. The smart bag offers a bag system that incorporates tactical, visual, and audible interactive operating features. The smart bag system has numerous benefits: enhance aerobic fitness, core stability, coordination, power, stamina, and endurance. The smart bag improves upper-body strength and strengthen bones and ligaments and enhances full body boxing, MMA (Mixed Martial Arts), kickboxing techniques. The smart bag provides a real-time guidance to a user through any random and/or predefined workout session to indulge the use in a challenging and joyful training/exercise experience. The workout guidance of the smart bag is conveniently presented to the user through a series of light units integrated with sensors. The smart bag provides control of the light units by illuminating and extinguishing individual units per predetermined challenge levels. The light units are distributed on the exterior body of the smart bag, wherein the duration and sequence of illumination of individual light units are controlled by the control system of the smart bag. Through the selection of a specific challenge level, the user can achieve a focused boxing training/exercise through the interactive bag system at the desired intensity level that emphasizes on power, speed, accuracy, and reaction. Further, the sensors integrated in the light units can record boxing and user biometric data. The data can be displayed on the control system and sent to the user through a communication system using a corresponding PC device of the user. The smart bag may be embodied in various sizes, shapes, installation methods such as wall and ceiling hanging units to full height floor-standing models. As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, the smart bag of the present invention comprises a body 10, an illumination system 20, and a control system 30. The body 10 comprises a first end 11 and second end 12. The illumination system 20 is exteriorly attached to and distributed across the body 10. Additionally, the illumination system 20 comprises a plurality of illumination devices 21 and a plurality of sensors 22. Each of the plurality of illumination devices 21 is exteriorly attached to and distributed on the body 10. Each of the plurality of sensors 22 is positioned within each of the plurality of illumination devices 21 and each of the plurality of sensors 22 is electrically connected to each of the plurality of illumination devices 21. Further, the control system 30 is exteriorly attached to the body 10, adjacent the first end 11. As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, each of the plurality of sensors 22 is attached to each of the plurality of illumination devices 21 of the illumination system 20. Each of the plurality of sensors 22 may comprise a sensor including, but not limited to, a touch sensor, an impact sensor, an accelerometer, etc., to measure the impact, force, etc., of each punch that the user throws to the body 10 of the smart bag. Additionally, each of the plurality of illumination devices 21 extinguishes once the corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors 22 is impacted by an external force of the user.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the control system 30 of the present invention comprises a power supply 31, a processor 32, a transmitter 33, a plurality of control buttons 34, a display 35, a plurality of challenge levels 36, a plurality of intensity levels 37, a switch 38, a sound control 39, a speaker 40, an extraneous biometric device 41, and a personal computing (PC) device 50. The power supply 31 is positioned within the control system 30 and electrically connected to both the illumination system 21. The power supply 31 may include, but is not limited to a battery, and/or an external power source that provides electrical power to the smart bag of the present invention. The processor 32 may include, but is not limited to, a microprocessor, a controller, a computer chip, or any suitable control device. Additionally, the processor 32 is positioned within the control system 30 and electrically connected to the plurality of illumination devices 21 of the illumination system 20. The processor 32 is powered by the power supply 31 and electrically connected to the plurality of sensors 22. Further, the processor 32 is configured to turn on or off the plurality of illumination devices 21 at a predetermined duration and sequence. For example, the processor 32 may be configured to turn on an individual unit of the plurality of illumination devices 21 when the user starts a boxing workout session and turns on the smart bag of the present invention. Through a specific program, of which the challenge level is selected by the user, the processor extinguishes the individual unit of the plurality of illumination devices 21 once the corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors 22 is impacted by the user. The processor 32 subsequently turns on the next individual unit of the plurality of illumination devices 21 per the program at a predetermined duration and sequence, thus allowing the user to continue the boxing exercise. By varying the duration and sequence of such controls, the present invention can offer the user various challenging and intensity levels for boxing workout/training sessions.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 5, the display 35 is exteriorly positioned on the control system 30 and provides interactive functions to the user. The display 35 may include, but is not limited to, a touchscreen display, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), an LED (Light Emitting Device), a connected TV (television) set, a computer monitor, a security monitor, a tablet, or any suitable display device. The display 35 is electrically connected to the power supply 31 through common electrical wires, cables, etc. Additionally, the display 35 comprises the plurality of buttons 34, the plurality of challenge levels 36, a plurality of intensity levels 37, a switch 38, and a sound control 39, as can be seen in FIG. 4. Each of the plurality of challenge levels 36 comprises a predetermined combination of duration and sequence of energizing the plurality of illumination devices 21 of the illumination system 20 through the processor 32. The plurality of challenge levels 36 allows the user to select a specific challenge level for desired boxing, punching, kicking, martial arts exercises. Similarly, each of the plurality of intensity levels 37 comprises a predetermined combination of duration and sequence of energizing the plurality of illumination devices of the illumination system through the processor, which allows the user to select a specific intensity level for the desired boxing workout. During and after each boxing exercise, the processor 32 of the control system can output the actual measured data using the plurality of sensors 22 of the illumination system 20 to the display 35. The sensor data include specific user biometrics measurements including, but not limited to, heartbeat rates, calories consumed, etc. Additionally, the sensor data may include, but are not limited to, specific challenge level, intensity level, intensity data, etc. Further, the processor may provide real time data plots, trends, charts of the sensor data to be shown on the display 35. Further, the plurality of control buttons 35 is exteriorly positioned on the display 35 and electrically connected to the processor 32, as can be seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. The plurality of control buttons 34 may comprise other controls and functions including, but not limited to, an on/off control for the system start and stop, an on/off control for recording the exercise time, a select button for the user to enter or select a specific user profile/account, etc. As can be seen in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, in an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of control buttons 34 of the control system 30 may be exteriorly mounted to the body 10 adjacent the display, and the plurality of control buttons 34 is electrically connected to the processor 32.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the control system 30 may include the extraneous PC device 50 and the transmitter 33 which is exteriorly mounted to the control system 30 adjacent the display 35. The transmitter 33 is electrically connected to the processor 32 and the power supply 31. The PC device 50 is connected to the processor 32 through the transmitter 33 and a wireless communication network, including, but not limited to, Internet, Bluetooth, etc. Further, the control system 30 comprises a speaker 40 and the sound control 39. The speaker 40 is attached to the control system 30 adjacent the display 35, while the sound control 39 is exteriorly mounted on the display 35. Both the speaker 40 and the sound control 39 are electrically connected to the processor 32 as can be seen in FIG. 5.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts comprising:

a body;

an illuminating system;

the illuminating system being exteriorly attached to the body;

the illumination system comprising a plurality of illumination devices and a plurality of sensors;

each of the plurality of illumination devices being exteriorly distributed on the body;

each of the plurality of sensors being positioned within each of the plurality of illumination devices; and

each of the plurality of sensors being electrically connected to each of the plurality of illumination devices.

2. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

each of the plurality of sensors comprising a touch sensor; and

wherein each of the plurality of illumination devices extinguishes once the corresponding touch sensor is impacted by an external force.

3. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of sensors comprising an impact sensor.

4. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a control system;

the control system being exteriorly attached to the body;

the control system comprising a processor;

the processor being positioned within the control system; and

the processor being electrically connected to the plurality of illumination devices of the illumination system;

the processor being electrically connected to the plurality of sensors; and

wherein the processor is configured to energize the plurality of illumination devices at a predetermined duration and sequence.

5. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 4 comprising:

the control system comprising a power supply and a display;

the power supply being positioned within the control system;

the power supply being electrically connected to the illumination system;

the power supply being electrically connected to the processor;

the power supply being electrically connected to the display;

the processor being electrically connected to the display; and

the display being exteriorly positioned on the control system.

6. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 5 comprising:

the display comprising a plurality of challenge levels;

each of the plurality of challenge levels comprising a predetermined combination of duration and sequence of energizing the plurality of illumination devices of the illumination system through the processor.

7. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 5 comprising:

the display comprising a plurality of intensity levels;

each of the plurality of intensity levels comprising a predetermined combination of duration and sequence of energizing the plurality of illumination devices of the illumination system through the processor.

8. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 5, wherein the display is a touchscreen display.

9. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 5, wherein the processor presents sensor data on the display.

10. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor data include exercise biometrics measurements.

11. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor data include results for a specific challenge level.

12. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 5 comprising:

an extraneous personal computing (PC) device;

the control system comprising a transmitter;

the transmitter being exteriorly mounted to the control system adjacent the display;

the transmitter being electrically connected to the processor; and

the PC device being connected to the processor of the control system through the transmitter and a wireless communication network.

13. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 4 comprising:

the control system comprising a speaker and a sound control;

the speaker being attached to the control system adjacent the display;

the sound control being mounted on the display; and

both the speaker and the sound control being electrically connected to the processor.

14. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 4 comprising:

the display comprising a plurality of control buttons;

the plurality of control buttons being positioned on the display; and

the plurality of control buttons being electrically connected to the processor.

15. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 13, wherein the plurality of control buttons comprises a switch for system start and stop.

16. The smart bag system for punching and kicking workouts as claimed in claim 4 comprising:

the control system comprising a plurality of control buttons;

the plurality of control buttons being exteriorly mounted to the body adjacent the display; and

the plurality of control buttons being electrically connected to the processor.