GB2545034A

GB2545034A - Friction wrist exerciser

Info

Publication number: GB2545034A
Application number: GB1522572.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: T Sakata Tommy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-12-01
Filing date: 2015-12-21
Publication date: 2017-06-07
Also published as: GB201522572D0; WO2017091896A1

Abstract

A device for exercising the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm comprises a cylindrical bar 1; a pair of handgrip elements 2 divided by a central divider 3; and an end cap 4 over each end of the bar. The hand grip elements are in the form of resilient tubular sleeves and are rotatable about the bar member. The force required to rotate the hand grip about the bar member is proportional to the strength of grip exerted by the user on the hand grip elements. A method for using the device is to manually rotate the hand grip elements in opposite directions about the bar member. The device is of simple construction and permits the user to easily vary the resistance.

Description

FRICTION WRIST EXERCISER

The invention relates to an exercising device and is directed particularly to an apparatus for use in performing exercises to strengthen the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm and a method for using the device.

Exercises which strengthen the muscles of the hands, wrists and forearms are particularly valuable to sportsmen and women engaged in sports where these muscles are constantly required for gripping and controlling a stick, bat, racket or the like. A number of forearm/wrist exercise devices are available, including the torsion spring type and weight-on-a-rope type. US Patent No. 3,396,967 to Brown describes a torsion spring wrist exercising device. US 5,776,034 to Stamler utilises a friction disk sandwiched between two hand grip bodies. In US 4,643,417 to Nieman, the exerciser is composed of two tubes with a cooperating portion where one tube fits inside the other providing axially facing frictional surfaces; frictional resistance to relative rotation of the two parts may be altered via an internal pressure device. These devices are relatively complex in their construction and require mechanical adjustment to vary the resistance. A simpler wrist exercise device is the weight-on-a-rope type, where a weight is suspended from a rope or cord that is wound around the centre of a short bar. The bar is held horizontally in front of the user and the bar is rotated by twisting the hands alternately to raise or lower the weight by winding or unwinding the rope. Such an apparatus is simple to construct but may only be used horizontally, with the hand side by side (i.e. it does not permit use in vertical orientation with the hands placed one above the other) and in order to vary the difficulty of the exercise it is necessary to disassemble the device and replace the weight with a different one.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device for exercising the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm which is of simple construction and permits the user to easily vary the resistance.

Accordingly, the invention provides a device for exercising the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm (which may, for brevity, be referred to herein as “wrist exercise device”) which comprises a generally cylindrical bar member having a pair of hand grip regions separated by a center divider; a hand grip element in the form of a resilient tubular sleeve fitted over each hand grip region; and an end cap fitted to each end of the bar member, wherein each hand grip is manually rotatable about the bar member and the force required to rotate the hand grip about the bar member is proportional to the strength of the grip exerted by the user on the hand grip elements.

Reference is made to Figure 1 which shows a schematic diagram of wrist exercise device according to the invention in top/side view, end view and expanded cross section.

The bar member (1) may be a hollow tube, as shown in Figure 1, or a solid bar. Each hand grip element (2) is a resilient tubular sleeve configured to fit snugly over the bar member but also capable of being manually rotated about the bar member. A centre divider (3), which may be in be form of an annular protrusion or collar extending from the bar member, separates the hand grip elements (2) and allows them to move independently of one another. The hand grip elements (2) are retained on the bar member (1) by end cap pieces (4) fitted to each end of the bar member (1).

The bar member may be made from any material of appropriate strength, stiffness and weight, e.g. metal (ferrous or non-ferrous) or plastic.

The hand grip elements (sleeves) can be made of natural material (e.g. leather, natural fabrics) or synthetic man made material (e.g. Nuagahide®, Goretex® fabric, rubberized belting etc.).

The respective materials for the bar member and hand grip elements are selected to provide the appropriate friction, i.e. resistance to movement relative to one another, at the interface between them, to resist rotational movement by the user and the properties of the materials are such that the resistive force (friction) is proportional to the compressive force (strength of grip) exerted by the user.

To exercise the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm using the device, the user grips one hand grip element with each hand and rotates the hand grip elements in opposite directions about the bar member. Typically, the device is held at arm’s length in front of the body.

In one exercise, the user holds the device out horizontally (i.e. parallel to the ground) in front of his body. The user grips the left and right hand grips with his left and right hands, respectively, palms facing down, thumbs facing towards each other. With the desired tension (grip), the user rotates the left and right hand grip elements in opposite directions.

In another exercise, the device is held vertically, i.e. perpendicular to the ground. In this configuration, the user grasps the upper hand grip element with one hand and the lower hand grip element with the other hand. The grip is such that each hand is thumb uppermost and the palms are facing towards each other. As with the previous exercise, to create resistance, the user applies grip tension to the hand grip elements and rotates them in opposite directions.

Friction between the inner surface of the hand grip element and the outer surface of the bar member resists the rotation of the hand grip element about the bar member. The resistive force is proportional to the compressive force exerted by the user’s hand gripping the hand grip element. Hence, the difficulty of the rotation exercise can be controlled by the user by simply varying the compressive strength of his grip. If he grips the hand grip elements loosely, the force required to overcome friction and cause rotation of the hand grip elements about the bar member is small and the exercise is relatively easy. If the hand grip elements are gripped strongly, i.e. squeezed hard, the force required to overcome friction and cause rotation of the hand grip elements about the bar member is higher and the exercise is correspondingly harder. The resistance of the device can therefore be progressively adjusted quickly and easily by the user simply by changing the force of his grip.

The device is useful for professional and amateur sportsmen and women and athletes.

It may be employed in general strength and fitness training, maintenance of general health and fitness and rehabilitation after injury or illness. In particular, it is useful for developing and strengthening the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm.

The compact nature of the device means that it can be used without the need for a large amount of space, as required for weights.

Claims

1. A device for exercising the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm, which comprises a generally cylindrical bar member having a pair of hand grip regions separated by a center divider; a hand grip element in the form of a resilient tubular sleeve fitted over each hand grip region; and an end cap fitted to each end of the bar member, wherein each hand grip is manually rotatable about the bar member and the force required to rotate the hand grip about the bar member is proportional to the strength of the grip exerted by the user on the hand grip elements.

2. A method for exercising the muscles of the hand, wrist and forearm of a user, which comprises: taking hold of an exercise device comprising a generally cylindrical bar member having a pair of hand grip regions separated by a center divider; a hand grip element in the form of a resilient tubular sleeve fitted over each hand grip region; and an end cap fitted to each end of the bar member; wherein each hand grip element is gripped by a hand of the user; and manually rotating the hand grip elements in opposite directions about the bar member, wherein the force required to rotate the hand grip elements about the bar member is proportional to the strength of the grip exerted by the user on the hand grip elements.