GB2580932A

GB2580932A - Portable exercise mat

Info

Publication number: GB2580932A
Application number: GB1901293.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Laura Cooper Helen
Original assignee: Inner Glow Yoga Ltd
Current assignee: Inner Glow Yoga Ltd
Priority date: 2019-01-30
Filing date: 2019-01-30
Publication date: 2020-08-05
Also published as: GB201901293D0

Abstract

The present invention describes a multilayer mat or pad having a base layer 20 that is in contact with a substantially horizontal surface, and a deeper foam layer 30. The base layer has anti-slip and insulating properties, for example it may be a sponge rubber. There is a removable portion 35 of the foam layer 30 that provides a well 37 into which a portable heat pack (40, figure 3) may be inserted. The heat pack may produce heat in a reversible chemical reaction, such as crystallisation or an exothermic reaction following the mixing of two chemicals. The heated exercise mat may be used for a variety of exercises and sports such as yoga or in a gym to warm up the user in cold conditions to reduce the risk of injury. Also disclosed is an embodiment in which the device is a seat pad.

Description

PORTABLE EXERCISE MAT

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to improvements to a portable, non-slip mat as used for practising yoga, meditation or similar sports. When attending a yoga class, the user will usually provide their own mat to enable them to tailor their own yogic experience, prevent injury and provide comfort. However, increasing numbers of people are using yoga and other similar exercises for its restorative benefits, meaning that they have a greater need for comfort and protection whilst practising. In particular, such people are at greater risk of injury because they are often practising in colder conditions, like village halls, ice rinks, yurts and outside at festivals. As well as being colder, such locations also have the disadvantage that they often do not have easy access to sources of power or heating.

[0002] When cold a person's muscles are more prone to damage and tearing and the joints are stiffer and less supple. Therefore, the very people who aim to benefit from yoga and other similar exercises can find that they cause pain and/or discomfort.

[0003] In order to overcome these problems, the invention proposes a reusable, independent or self-contained heating device arranged to be incorporated into the mat. By adding one or more heat packs into an insulating foam mat, this allows the user to have heat applied to the lower back and/or other problem areas through contact with the mat, which in turn provides comfort and reduces the chance of injury as the muscles will be warmer.

[0004] The mat has a simple design, consisting of multiple layers fused together. The base layer (in contact with the surface upon which the mat is laid) is composed from material having insulating properties, which provides protection from the cold coming up through the floor or other surface on which the mat is placed and prevents heat from the user going into the ground. This base layer may also have non-slip properties to prevent the mat from moving whilst the exercises are being performed. Preferably the anti-slip portion extends across the whole of the base layer to ensure that none of the mat slips or slides during active exercise.

[0005] The upper layer or layers include a foam having one or more removable section/s and where a section or sections are removed a well is created in the mat. The well or multiple wells are each adapted to accommodate a portable, heating element, which disperses heat to the adjacent portion or portions of the mat and also to those areas of a user requiring special care e.g. the lower back, shoulders etc. Preferably, the heating element is reusable. The foam layer or layers are of sufficient depth to keep the surface of the mat upon which the user is lying or seated remain flat with the heating element in place, allowing the user to practice yoga or other exercises comfortably. The heating element is preferably reusable and does not require access to a heat source, batteries or electricity as these cannot be accessed in all settings. For example, the heating element may be provided by self-contained heat packs, which are activated to enable an exothermic reaction to take place and therefore provide heat. Such heat packs are readily available and may either consist of a single use pack in which two chemicals are divided by a frangible membrane, which can be broken simply by a user twisting and shaking the pack. However, reusable heat packs are also available, which generally comprise an aqueous, supercooled solution, for example sodium acetate solution, including a flexible metal strip, which can be bent to activate crystallisation of the sodium acetate.

[0006] The multi-layer mat according to the invention is portable so that it can be used in a variety of settings and is designed to be rolled without damaging the heat elements prior to activation or causing damage to the bonding material or technique used to fuse the multiple layers together. The mat is also lightweight and durable to reduce damage occurring during transit.

Background Art

[0007] Many heating mats, blankets, mattresses and clothing are described in the prior art, but most of these require some form of electric power source, batteries etc., which are not preferred in the present invention. The types of self-contained heat packs suitable for use in the present invention are also disclosed in the prior art, examples of which are given below.

[0008] Published document US 4,077,390 (Stanley et al.) granted on 07 March 1978 describes the preferred type of reusable heat pack comprising a sealed flexible package enclosing a supercoolable aqueous sodium acetate solution together with a metallic activator strip. The activator strip is a flexible metal strip having not one or more slits extending through it. To prepare the heat pack for activation, its contents are first heated to a temperature above the melting point of sodium acetate to completely melt it, at which point it is a flexible sealed package full of liquid. When heat is required, the integral metallic strip is bent, which activates crystallisation of the sodium acetate, with the evolution of heat. Such heat packs are readily available and may be purchased online.

[0009] Further advances have been made to moderate the rate of self-heating packs. For example, US 5,984,953 (Tempra Technology Inc.) granted on 16 November 1999 describes how self-moderation of the heat pack is provided through the use of a reversibly stiffenable gel that alters the rate of exothermic chemical reactions.

[0010] Patent application no. US 2007/0284356 (Findlay) published on 13 December 2007 specifically relates to medical warming blankets etc., but provides a useful discussion of the disadvantages of using separate power sources to provide heat, particularly in situations where such power sources are not readily available. This document also discusses the advantages of using an independent heat source with some examples of heat generating methods including the use of chemicals that react to produce heat. This document also discusses the use/need for a trigger mechanism to initiate heating and prevent premature activation. Examples are provided of reactions between a material or mixture such as iron powder, water, vermiculite, carbon and salt and their reaction with air. Also included are the reaction (discussed above) between a supercooled solution, for example sodium acetate solution, which can be activated to produce heat by triggering an activation mechanism such as a flexible metal strip disposed within the solution.

[0011] Patent application no. US 2008/0262579 (Berke et al) published 23 October 2008 describes an exercise apparatus having a support structure and exercise mat specifically providing acupressure to a user exercising on the mat. The exercise apparatus includes a thermal system and the exercise mat includes one or more conduits extending through the mat, which may have one or more acupressure structure/s. The thermal system flows heat to and from the conduits and acupressure structure/s to the user.

[0012] Finally, Patent application no. US 2011/0059830 (Reese) published on 10 March 2011 discusses supportive mats or pads that have a removable insert member on the underside of the mat. When abdominal exercises are being performed, the user removes the insert member from the underside of the mat to leave a recess. With the base of the spine/tail bone positioned above the recess there is less pressure against these areas of the user's body, resulting in less irritation, abrasion and bruising.

Summary of invention

[0013] The present invention provides a multilayer mat or pad having a base layer providing anti-slip and insulation properties that is in contact with a substantially horizontal surface, such as the floor or a seat, and a deeper foam layer providing comfort for the user. The base layer is required to both prevent cold from the horizontal surface passing through to the user and equally to prevent heat from the user going into the horizontal surface. A portion of the foam layer is removable to provide a well in which a heat pack may be fixed to warm the mat and the user seated or lying on it. The foam layer is of sufficient depth to allow the surface to remain flat with the heat pack in place, allowing the user to practice yoga etc. comfortably.

[0014] The multilayer mat or pad preferably as a top layer, which is in contact with the user and has a wipe clean surface for hygiene purposes. This allows the mat or pad to be used repeatedly by different users.

[0015] The mat or pad has been designed to be portable, so that it can be used in a variety of settings and in the case of a mat, this has been designed so that it can be rolled without damaging the heating elements. Both are designed to be lightweight and durable so that they will not be damaged in transit. Furthermore as both are designed to be heated, they are made from a high quality insulating foam, which absorbs and retains the heat from the heat pack. Preferably the heat pack is reusable, although this is not necessary if suitable, single use heat packs are more readily available.

Brief description of drawings

[0016] The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a yoga mat, with a foam portion removed to form a well into which the foam portion may be replaced or a self-contained heating element may be inserted; Fig. 2 shows the yoga mat of Fig. 1, with the foam portion replaced in the well; Fig. 3 shows the yoga mat of Fig. 1, with a heating element, adapted to fit into the well; Fig. 4 shows a seat pad, with an alternative shaped foam portion removed to form a well into which the foam portion may be replaced or a heating element may be inserted; Fig. 5 shows the seat pad of Fig. 4, with the foam portion replaced in the well; Fig. 6 shows the seat pad of Fig. 4, with an alternative shaped heating element, adapted to fit into the well.

[0017] Referring to Figure 1, a mat 10 according to an embodiment of the invention includes a nonslip, insulating base layer 20, a thicker and more comfortable foam layer 30 and a hygienic, wipe clean top layer 50. A portion 35 of the mat 10 is cut out from the foam layer 30 and is removable, leaving the base layer 20 intact, producing a well 37. Preferably the base layer 20 is made from an EPDM sponge rubber, which has good mechanical properties with its closed cell structure making it impermeable to air and water and providing outstanding insulating and heat resistant properties. This material is also preferred because it is very durable and relatively inexpensive. Likewise, the foam layer 30 is a high-quality, insulating foam such as a closed cell, cross linked polyethylene foam sheet produced in an extrusion process.

[0018] Referring now to Figure 2, the removable portion or insert 35 may be reinserted into the well 37, allowing the mat 10 to be used as a conventional, non-heated mat. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 3 a heating element or heat pack 40 is also adapted to fit snugly inside the well 37 to provide heat to a user when the mat 10 is being used in an unheated venue such as a Village Hall or outside at a festival for example.

[0019] Figures 4 to 6 are equivalent views to those shown and described in Figures 1 to 3, but this time instead of being applied to an exercise mat 10, they relates to another embodiment of the invention, a seat pad 60, having the same general structure and method of manufacture. As generally described above, the seat pad 60 has a nonslip, insulating base layer 70, a comfortable foam layer 80 and a wipe clean top layer 100. As previously described, a portion 85 of the seat pad 60 is cut out from the foam layer 80, leaving the base layer 70 intact to produce a well 87 in which either the cut out portion 85 (as shown in Figure 5) or an independent heating element or heat pack 90 (as shown in Figure 6) is adapted to fit snugly inside the well 97.

[0020] Although embodiments of the invention have been described and shown in the drawings with examples of suitable materials and different types of independent heating elements, the invention is not intended to be limited to this structure and use of these materials, which may be modified and/or augmented by materials, structure and independent heating elements that are well known to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims 1. A multilayer mat having a base layer (20) composed of one or more materials in contact with a substantially horizontal surface, the contact between the horizontal surface and the base layer (20) having anti-slip properties and providing insulation, and a deeper foam layer (30) providing comfort for the user, wherein at least one or more portions (35) of the foam layer is removable and provides a well or wells (37) adapted to receive a portable, independent heat pack (40).
2. A multilayer mat according to claim 1, wherein the heat pack (40) is adapted to be activated to provide heat without any external heat source.
3. A multilayer mat according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the heat pack (40) comprises a chemical solution and an activation mechanism, wherein upon triggering the activation mechanism the chemical solution crystallises and releases heat from the heat of crystallisation.
4. A multilayer mat according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the heat pack (40) comprises at least two chemicals that are activated by allowing the chemicals to mix and thereby react exothermically to produce heat.
5. A multilayer mat according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the chemical reaction in the heat pack (40) is reversible.
6. A multilayer mat according to claim 1, wherein a rubber material provides the anti-slip properties.
7. A multilayer mat according to claim 6, wherein the rubber, anti-slip material covers the entire surface of the base layer (20) of the mat (10) in contact with the horizontal surface.
8. A multilayer mat according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the rubber material is a sponge rubber, which combines both anti-slip properties and provides insulation between the horizontal surface and the user on the foam layer (30).
9. A multilayer mat according to claim 8, wherein the sponge rubber material is impermeable to air and water.
10. A multilayer mat according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the removable portions (35) of the foam layer (30) may be replaced and held firmly within the well or wells (37) allowing the mat (10) to be used as a simple foam and rubber mat, without any heating.