EP0267827A1 - Grip for an exercising apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an exerciser handle. This handle has a general shape in open C and comprises a rigid half-arch (1) with, at one end, a member (11) for fixing the end of the bungee cord (s) (8) similar elastically resistant members or straps and , at the other end, a short bar (2) whose perpendicular to the center passes substantially through the above fixing member. This exerciser handle makes it possible to associate two handles with an intermediate bar such as (16), to associate them back to back, to use the handle as a means of attachment to the lower limbs.

Description

The present invention relates to the handles of exercisers and similar gymnastic apparatus. The conventional handles are in the form of a stirrup, the bungee cord (s) or members exerting similar elastic resistance being fixed to the top of the stirrup bar by hooking hooks provided at the end of the bungee cord or similar member in a loop secured to the arch. The grip part or handle proper is generally constituted by a bar subtending the bow of the stirrup, bar on which is generally mounted to rotate a sleeve whose outside diameter is adapted to the grip of the hand.

These handles are intended exclusively for exercisers of mem bres superiors.

The present invention aims to provide an exerciser handle which allows the exerciser to be used to work the upper limbs or the lower limbs, two handles that can be transformed into an elastic trapezoid bar.

The exerciser handle according to the invention is characterized in that it has a general open C shape and comprises a rigid half-arch with, at one end, a member for fixing the end of the bungee cord (s), analogous resilient members or straps and, at the other end, a short bar therefore perpendicular to the center passes substantially through the above fastening member.

According to one embodiment, the fixing member is constituted by a rectangular housing located substantially in the plane of the arch, housing in which is engaged a flat loop fixed to the end of the bungee cord constituted by an elastic band or the strap with unlockable keying means immobilizing the buckle in the housing. According to another embodiment, the female element of the fastening member is integral with the end of the bungee cord or the strap and comprises a slot in which is fitted a flat endpiece integral with the handle with immobilizing unlocking keying means the flat nozzle in the housing of the female element. According to another characteristic, a peripheral clearance is provided between the interlocking part of the female element and the interlocking part of the male element to allow rotation of the handle around the supporting generator of the locking means.

According to another characteristic, the fixing member is constituted by a threaded end piece or a threaded housing cooperating with a threaded ring or a threaded end piece fixed to the end of the bungee cord constituted by an elastic cable.

According to another characteristic, the short bar is tubular to receive the end of a bar ensuring the junction between two of the handles, with a fastening means between each handle and the bar. Said securing means may be a bayonet fitting or a ball key, the latter having the advantage of leaving the bar free to rotate relative to the arch forming the handle.

According to another characteristic, a cylindrical element is mounted telescopically in the axis of each handle to project over a length limited to the end of the handle sleeve opposite the half-arch and said cylindrical telescopic elements of two handles present at their end. protruding from the complementary securing means.

According to another characteristic, the half-hoops or the axes of the handles comprise, at their end opposite to the sleeve, complementary fastening means making it possible to fasten two handles back to back.

According to another characteristic, a sleeve is mounted con naked on the short bar, this sleeve having, according to various generatrices, gripping and / or bearing surfaces of different natures, said sleeve being able to be locked in the rotational position to direct a gripping and / or bearing surface defined towards the inside the handle. The gripping and / or bearing surfaces may be a gripping surface conformally complementary to the fingers, a slot for gripping by hooking with the fingertips, a cushion or shaped plate for bearing the Achilles tendon or ankle, etc. Said sleeve can also be removable and be fixed to the short bar by the same fixing means as the connecting bar, preferably by a fixing means such as a bayonet fitting not allowing a relative rotation or a key blocking in position the ball keying. In this case, each sleeve preferably comprises a single gripping surface which is specific to it.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view in partial section of the handle according to the invention attached to the end of a bungee cord formed by a band and coupled to a junction bar; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a handle attached to the end of a bungee cord formed by a cable; Figure 3 is a perspective view of two handles attached to the two ends of a bungee cord; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a removable gripping sleeve; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view dirty on a larger scale with a specialized socket for training mountaineers; Figure 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the handle according to the invention; Figure 7 is an exploded view of a handle according to yet another embodiment; Figure 8 is a detail view of Figure 7 and Figure 9 is a view illustrating another assembly position of two handles according to the invention.

In the drawings, the reference 1 designates the rigid half-arch of metal or molded plastic and 2 the short bar forming the axis of the handle. In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the short bar 2 is tubular and it has at its end two notches 3 in bayonet symmetrical to one another with respect to the axis and, in the bottom of the tube , is housed an elastic element such as a spring 4 which pushes an axial core 5 carrying the axis of the bayonet fitting 7 of the element mounted on the short bar 2 to maintain the fitting by pushing the axis 7 in the lateral housing of the notches 3. This embodiment is susceptible to modifications, the handle being able, in a known manner, to be rotatably mounted around the short bar 2 which can be full with an end thread in which is screwed a screw that holds the handle on the bar while leaving it free to rotate.

At the other end of the half-arch 1 is mounted a fixing for an elastic traction element which in general is a bungee cord constituted by an elastic band 8 or an elastic cable 9, possibly a non-elastic strap. The device for securing between the end of the bungee cord and the arch may be any of the known devices. In FIGS. 1 and 3, a flat loop 10 is fixed to the end of the strip 8 and this loop is pressed into a housing of corresponding shape 11 at the end of the half-arch 1 and it is locked in this housing by a ratchet 12.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a threaded ring 13 is fixed to the end of the bungee cord 9 and a threaded rod 14, of which only the end section is shown, is embedded in the head of the half-arch 1, the threaded ring screwing onto the end of this threaded rod.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, two handles each consisting of a half-hoop 1 and a sleeve 15 are mounted at both ends of a bungee cord 8 but it is obvious that the bungee cord could comprise a single handle, the other end being anchored on a fixed point or other, in the known manner.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, two half-arches 1 each secured with a bungee cord 8 (only one of these half-arches being shown) are joined by a bar 16 that can be a bar of the types described in FR-A -2.544.617 or FR-A2.548.912. This bar 16 is secured to each half-arch 1 by a bayonet fitting as described above with a sleeve 17 which covers the short bar 2.

The handle fixed on the short bar 2 can be a simple sleeve but, because it can be immobilized during rotation, it is possible to adapt it for specific uses.

As shown in FIG. 4, this handle constituted by a sleeve 18 can, on half of its periphery, have a profiling 19 improving the grip of the fingers and, conversely, a foam padding 20 which makes it possible to engage the ankle in the half-arch 1 to work the muscles of the thigh and lower limbs.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the sleeve 19 has at its periphery an edge 21 and a groove 22 which allow the user to simulate the grips of the mountaineer.

In FIG. 6, the same elements or the equivalent elements are designated by the same references. At the end of the bungee cord or of the strap 8 is fixed the female element 23 which forms a fork with two arms in parallel plates 24 between which the end 25 engages forming a flat of the half-arch 1. A system releasable keying 26 of known type provides the connection between the two elements. A play in the socket at 27 allows limited rotation between the loop 23 and the half-hoop 1, therefore between the axis of the strap 8 and the handle 28 rotatably mounted on the half-hoop 1.

The joining of the bar 16 with the handle 28 is carried out by a ball keying. Two balls 29 are housed in a diametric bore at each end of the bar 16 with, interposed between them, a spring 30. They are held in this bore by a crimping which lets them project from the peripheral surface of the bar 16.

In the end of the handle 28 is formed a recess 31 which can receive the end of the bar, this recess being closed by a retractable cover 32 and in the wall of the cylindrical recess is formed a groove 33. When the end of the bar 16 in the recess 31, the balls 29 retract elastically until they come back into the groove 33 to ensure, in known manner, an elastic blocking against a relative longitudinal displacement between the bar 16 and the handle 28, respectively the half-arch 1. The bar 16 can rotate relative to the handle 28, the balls 29 rolling in the groove 31.

The embodiment of Figures 7 and 8 aims to avoid the need for a special bar such as 16 to ensure the junction between two handles. In the illustrated embodiment, there is the bungee cord 8 with at its ends two loops 34 constituted by two elastic hooks in opposition which engage in housings 11 at the end of the half-arch 1. The handle itself is constituted by a tubular element 36 forming an axis which engages in a cylindrical bore 35 of the half-arch 1. This tubular element 36 is held in place in the bore 35 for example by a split elastic ring 37 which engages in the groove peripheral 38 of the tubular element 36 and in a non-visible groove produced in the surface of the bore 35. This assembly could also be produced by a stop element secured by screwing with the end of the tube, the head of this element fr abutting in abutment on the external face (not visible) of the half-arch 1. The handle proper is constituted by two channeled supports 39 mounted in the sleeve 40 and held in position by pressing on the internal face of the half-arch 1 and by abutment on the end t adhesive 44 of the tubular element 36.

Inside the element 36 is slidably mounted a half-bar respectively 41-41ʹ. The outlet of this bar beyond the collar 44 is for example limited by a rod similar to 37 mounted in a groove 42 of the half-bar and which abuts against an inner collar projecting 43 from the tubular element 36 or any other similar device.

One of the half-bars 41 carries at its end the female element 45 of a bayonet fitting and the other 41ʹ, the corresponding male element 46. After having been removed, the two half-bars are secured by the bayonet fitting and the same elastic trapezoid is obtained as in FIG. 1.

In Figure 9 there is shown another method of assembling two half-hoops 1 which are back to back which allows to have two bungee cords acting in parallel with the handles 40 outside. The two handles can be joined in any way, for example by a clip, not shown, which engages in the two notches 47 and in two other diametrically opposite notches by surrounding the base of the half-arches between the handles 40, or by a double tapping connection piece substituted for the two abutment elements described above with reference to Figure 7.

The handles can also be advantageously used in exercisers other than those with suspension and traction and, for example, in exercisers constituted by an element having a resistance to bending under the action of couples exerted at its two ends. In this case the handles are rigidly fixed at the two ends of the flexible bar which has in its center a support for the neck, the exerciser being used by bringing the two handles from the positions in alignment with the shoulders to juxtapose them in front of the chest.

Claims (9)

1. Exerciser handle,
characterized in that it has a general open C shape and comprises a rigid half-arch (1) with, at one end, a member (11-14) for fixing the end of the bungee cord (s) (8-9 ) similar elastically resistant members or straps and, at the other end, a short bar (2) whose perpendicular to the center passes substantially through the above fixing member. 2. Exerciser handle according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fixing member consists of a rectangular housing (11) located substantially in the plane of the hoop (1), housing in which is engaged a flat loop (10) fixed to the end of the bungee cord ( 8) constituted by an elastic band or strap with unlocking keying means (12) immobilizing the loop (10) in the housing (11). 3. Exerciser handle according to claim 1,
characterized in that the female element (23) of the fixing member is integral with the end of the bungee cord or the strap (8) and has a slot in which is fitted a flat end piece (25) integral with the handle (1) with releasable keying means (26) immobilizing the flat endpiece in the housing of the female element. 4. An exerciser handle according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that a peripheral clearance (27) is provided between the interlocking part of the female element (23) and the interlocking part of the male element (25) to allow rotation of the handle around the generator support of the keying means (26). 5. Exerciser handle according to claim 1,
characterized in that the fixing member is constituted by a threaded end piece (14) or a threaded housing cooperating with a threaded ring (13) or a threaded end piece fixed to the end of the bungee cord (9) constituted by an elastic cable. 6. exerciser handle according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that the short bar (2) is tubular to receive the end of a bar (16) ensuring the junction between two of the handles, with a means (3-7-29-33) of attachment between each handle and the bar (16). 7. Exerciser handle according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized in that a sleeve (18) is mounted in a known manner on the short bar (2), this sleeve having, according to various generatrices, gripping and / or bearing surfaces (19, 20, 21, 22) of nature different, said sleeve being able to be locked in the rotational position to direct a defined grip and / or support surface towards the inside of the handle. 8. Exerciser handle according to any one of claims 1 at 5,
characterized in that a cylindrical element (41-41ʹ) is mounted telescopically in the axis (36) of each handle to project over a length limited to the end of the handle sleeve (40), opposite the half hoop (1) and said telescopic cylindrical elements (41-41ʹ) of two handles have at their end projecting complementary fastening means (45-46). 9. Exerciser handle according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
characterized in that the half-hoops (1) or the axes of the handles (31-41) at their end opposite to the sleeve (40) comprise complementary securing means making it possible to secure two handles back-to-back (Fig. 9 ).

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