GB2618330A

GB2618330A - Exercise device

Info

Publication number: GB2618330A
Application number: GB2206386.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Given Claire
Original assignee: Limbalance Ltd
Current assignee: Limbalance Ltd
Priority date: 2022-05-02
Filing date: 2022-05-02
Publication date: 2023-11-08
Also published as: GB202206386D0

Abstract

An exercise device comprises an arm sleeve 1 in the form of an elastic fabric material extending at least above the elbow of the user, sufficient to retain the arm sleeve in place, and at least one connector 6 situated on the sleeve at the end of the arm for attachment to an exercise apparatus, such as a resistance band or a weights system. The sleeve material is worn over the user’s arm. The device may contain a connector strap (6A, figure 3) which passes through a connector, which strap carries means to attach to an exercise apparatus. The device is particularly intended for a user with an upper limb deficiency such as a partial arm amputation.

Description

Exercise device This invention relates to an exercise device and in particular to an exercise device in the form of an arm sleeve for a user with an upper limb deficiency.

Globally, there are over 30 million people living with an upper limb difference. This may be due to amputation, or the lack of part of an arm at birth. An upper limb difference causes a muscle imbalance across the upper body and core. This is due to the individual using only one hand, which strengthens one side of the body more than the other. It is estimated that over 60% of people with an upper limb difference suffer with back and shoulder pain, impacting over 18 million people around the world.

The majority of people with an upper limb difference have approximately two to three inches of the forearm below the elbow. This is not enough for the individual to use conventional weights or resistance bands, as there is not enough arm or a hand to grip securely. This lack of a lever in the form of a forearm, makes it almost impossible to activate the bicep and tricep muscles, resulting in a visible muscle imbalance across the two arms, as well as the shoulder, upper back and the core muscles on one side.

The present invention tackles this problem by providing an exercise device comprising an arm sleeve in the form of material extending at least above the elbow of the user, sufficient to retain the arm sleeve in place, and at least one connector situated on the sleeve at the end of the arm for attachment to a resistance band, or other exercise equipment.

Arm bands designed for people with limb differences to exercise are known. For example, EP2575980 describes an armband exercise device designed for wearing by a person who uses a hand prosthesis or a person -2 -with impaired hand function. The armband comprises a sheet of flexible material which wraps around the arm. The wrapped armband has a plurality of cinching straps, each strap having at least one cinching ring, so that pulling the free end of a cinching strap through its respective cinching ring tightens the device.

The need for tightening straps of EP2575980 makes the arm band cumbersome to apply and uncomfortable to use. It cannot be taken off easily and would be inconvenient to carry and wash. There is no disclosure or suggestion in EP2575980 of a sleeve construction sufficient alone to retain the armband in place.

U520150148204 describes a resistance exercise device for an amputee which includes a pair of circumferential support cuffs that engage the stump portion of an amputated limb. The support cuffs are attached to inelastic adjustable bands.

The support cuffs in this document are narrow bands. There is no disclosure of a sleeve material extending above and below the elbow of a user. The cuffs would not be effective for use under the elbow, so unable to activate the bicep and tricep muscles US10,857,415 describes a brace having a joint-receiving sling that is moulded to conform to the shape of the user's joint, such as an elbow, and attached to the arm by adjustable cuffs situated on either side of the sling. A tension-diverting band is situated on the sling and carries anchor rings.

Thus, the anchor rings disclosed in US10,857,415 are located centrally on the elbow joint, not at the end of the limb, which, although able to exercise the shoulder and upper back muscles, makes it ineffective at activating the bicep and tricep muscles. There is no disclosure of a sleeve to retain the device in place; instead the device is secured by adjustable cuffs.

US5,626,544 describes a resistance exercise device for an amputee which includes a harness assembly configured to engage the stump portion of an amputated limb. The harness assembly includes a circumferential support strap, to which are attached securing rings. The device is held in place with a bracing strap which extends around the back and over a shoulder of a user.

The securing rings disclosed in U55,626,544 are not situated at the end of the limb. There is no disclosure of a sleeve to retain the device in place; instead, the device is secured with a bracing strap around the user's back, which is both cumbersome and can cause discomfort in the opposing shoulder and the users back.

None of the above mentioned prior art discloses or suggests a device that is retained in place on a user's arm by means of the material of a sleeve.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an exercise device comprising an arm sleeve in the form of elastic fabric material extending at least above the elbow of the user, and at least one connector situated on the sleeve at the end of the arm for attachment to an exercise apparatus, characterized in that the material of the sleeve is alone sufficient to retain the sleeve in place on the arm of a user.

The device of this invention thus makes the most of the amount of arm available in order to build strength, balance, coordination, flexibility, core, and joint stability. For users with a limb difference that ends above the elbow, the sleeve of the present device will extend above the elbow. The device enables exercising of the shoulder and upper back. For users that do have a forearm, the sleeve extend both above and below the elbow. The device will then also exercise the bicep and tricep muscles.

A key feature of this invention is a sleeve which is retained on the arm of a user, without the need for other retaining means, such tightening straps around the arm, adjustable cuffs or a strap over the back. The sleeve is formed of an elastic fabric material, such as, for example, nylon, polyester, rubber, or natural fibres. The sleeve material may also be knitted cotton, neoprene, or nylon. Other examples of sleeve materials include polyurethane fabric materials, such as polyether-polyurea copolymers, including elastane (for example the Lycra brand). A particular type of elastic fabric material is a compression fabric, which can be made from materials such as elastane and/or nylon.

The end of the sleeve material may optionally comprise a strip of reinforcing fabric surrounding the circumference of the sleeve, to strengthen the sleeve material at the position of the attachment of the connectors. Preferably, the reinforcing fabric should be durable.

The size of the sleeve is adapted to be a tight grip around the arm of the user, to securely retain the sleeve in place on the arm. A sleeve fitting securely over the arm of the user provides a device that is comfortable to 20 use in practice and so encourages exercise.

The sleeve may have an open end near the wrist for users who have digits, i.e. a partial hand; or may be closed at the end of the limb for users who do not have digits, so that the sleeve is in the form of a glove.

In either case, for users having a forearm, the sleeve suitably extends to cover most of the forearm of the user.

The end of the sleeve is provided with at least one connector for attachment to an exercise apparatus. A sleeve with an open end preferably carries two connectors, positioned on opposite sides of the sleeve. A sleeve with a closed end preferably carries an additional, third, connector on the closed end of the sleeve.

The exercise apparatus that is attached to the connector may comprise any resistance system, such as a resistance band or a weights machine, for example a pulley weight lifting system.

For users that do have a forearm, the position of the connectors at the end of the sleeve provides an additional advantage as it allows an exercise apparatus, such as a resistance band, to be secured against the small section of available forearm to exercise the bicep and tricep muscles, which is not possible for devices having a connector above the elbow of the user.

Each connector may be in the form of a metal ring, such as a D-ring. The metal ring may be attached to the sleeve by means of a tab of inelastic fabric material.

Preferably, however, the connector is in the form of a loop of flexible fabric, attached to the sleeve of the device. The attachment may be, for example, by means of stitching. The material of the loop may suitably be a high strength woven fabric, such as a nylon web. This loop allows a resistance band to be passed through the loop and extend around the arm to offer resistance against the arm in a targeted position to activate hard to reach arm and shoulder muscles.

In a preferred embodiment of the device of this invention, the connector is in the form of a loop of fabric, the size of which connector loop is adjustable. There may be one or more fabric connector loops on the device; preferably there are two or three fabric connectors. This is particularly suitable for attachment to a resistance band, for example. The advantage of an adjustably sized connector loop is to accommodate the end of a resistance band, yet allow positioning of the resistance for exercise. Resistance bands often terminate in an accessory such as a -6 -hand grip or a carabiner. To pass such an accessory through the connector loop of the present device, the size of the loop needs to be sufficient to accommodate the accessory. It is then advantageous to reduce the size of the loop to position the resistance band near the end of the sleeve for a more targeted positioning to more effectively activate the arm and shoulder muscles when exercising.

Preferably, the connector loop is in the form of a fabric strip, wherein a first end of the fabric strip carries the first part of a retainer attached to a first surface of the fabric strip; and a second surface of the fabric strip carries a plurality of second parts of retainers, such that the fabric strip is arranged to form a secure loop when the two parts of the retainer are fitted together. The retainers may be in the form of, for example, eyelets and hooks, or press studs. The connector loop may thus achieve various sizes dependent on the position of the second part of the retainer. This also means that a user can accommodate and precisely fix more than one resistance band in place. The fabric strip carries at least two second parts of retainers. Suitably, the fabric strip carries three second parts of retainers.

The fabric strip is attached to the sleeve of the present device, for example by stitching, at a point on the fabric strip between the first and second parts of the retainers. It is also convenient to attach the second end of the fabric strip to the sleeve of the device, forming an additional inner loop inside the outer loop.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device contains a connector strap which passes through a connector, which strap carries means to attach to an exercise apparatus. The connector strap is suitably formed of an inflexible material, such as leather. The connector strap is particularly useful for connecting to an exercise apparatus in the form of a weights system. The means to attach to an exercise apparatus -7 -may comprise one or more eyelets at each end of the connector strap, for example from 1 to 5 eyelets, such as one, two or three eyelets at each end of the strap. A carabiner, or other fitment, may be passed through one or more of the eyelets to attach to an exercise apparatus such as a weights machine. The connector strap may also be used to attach to a resistance band. The connector strap is particularly advantageous when the connector loop is in the form of a fabric strip, which holds the strap more securely in a desired position.

In using the device of this invention, the sleeve material is worn over the user's arm. The connectors are situated at the tip of the arm, maximising the section of arm available. When using a resistance band, the band is either attached to one of the connectors, or passed through one of the connectors, or attached to a connector strap. The remainder of the band can then be looped around a freestanding anchor point, or through an anchor point fixed to a wall, and the remaining band held in their opposite hand. The user can then perform lateral and vertical pull down exercises across the body to activate various muscles in the arm and core. The resistance band is then pulled across the body to exercise the biceps and triceps, as well as other muscles in the body.

The device of this invention allows the user to build strength uniformly across the body, using body weight and gravity as resistance, as well as weight resistance using weight lifting equipment, such as a dual pulley machine. The sleeve can be removed rapidly and folded easily, taking up minimal space for transport. The device is suitable for use in the home, gym, or outdoors.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective representation of one embodiment of an exercise device of the present invention, having an open-ended sleeve; -8 -Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective representation of a further embodiment of a device of the present invention, having an closed-ended sleeve.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a fabric strip to form a connector loop; Fig. 5 shows a first surface of the fabric strip of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows a second surface of the fabric strip of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a fabric strip forming a small connector loop; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a fabric strip forming a larger connector loop; Referring to Fig.1, the exercise device comprises a sleeve of elastic fabric material 1 having an open end 2, designed to fit over the arm of a person with limb difference, but having at least a partial hand. The upper end 3 of the sleeve fits over the user's arm above the elbow; and the lower end 4 of the sleeve fits over the user's arm below the elbow. The lower end 4 of the sleeve is strengthened by means of a circumferential strip of reinforcing fabric 5, which forms part of the sleeve. Attached to each side of the lower end 4 of the sleeve, via the strip 5, is a connector loop 6 for attachment to an exercise resistance band.

The device of Fig. 1 is shown in cross-section in Fig. 2, which depicts more clearly the shape of the connectors 6.

A further embodiment of the device, shown in Fig. 3, has a closed end of the sleeve, suitable for users who not have a hand. The connectors on the sides of the sleeve 1 are constructed in the same way as those shown in Fig 1. In addition, the device of Fig. 3 has a further connector 6A situated on the closed end of the device.

Each connector 6, on the sides of the devices of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, is in the form of a loop of flexible fabric, shown in more detail in Figs. 4 to 6.

In Fig. 4, the flexible fabric which forms the connector loop 6 is shown as a flat strip of material 7. A hook 8 is fixed to the upper surface 7A of the strip 7. The lower surface 7B of the strip 7 carries three eye fixtures 9.

The upper surface 7A and the hook 8 are shown in more detail in Fig. 5; and the lower surface 7B and the eye fixtures 9 are shown in more detail in Fig. 6.

Figs. 5 and 6 also show the positions 10 at which the fabric strip 7 is 10 attached by stitching onto the side of the sleeve 1.

The formation of the connector loop 6 is depicted in Figs. 7 and 8. The area 10 of the fabric strip 7 is stitched onto the side of the sleeve 1, near the end thereof. The fabric strip 7 is formed into a loop, with the eye fixtures 9 on the inner side of the loop. The hook 8 at end of the fabric strip 7 is fastened into one of the eye fixtures 9 to complete an inner loop 11. The remaining part of the fabric strip 7 is attached to the side of the sleeve 1, to form an outer loop 12.

In Fig. 7, the hook 8 is fastened into the first eye fixture 9 to form a small loop 11A; whereas in Fig. 8, the hook 8 is fastened into the second eye fixture 9 to form a larger loop 11B.

In use of the device, the sleeve 1 is placed over the user's arm forming a tight fit. The hook 8 is fastened to the second eye fixture 9, as shown in Fig. 8 to form a loop in its larger configuration 11B. Then, the end of a resistance band carrying a handle or a carabiner is fed through the loop. This larger loop 11B accommodates the bulky end of the resistance band. Once the resistance band is within the loop 11, the hook 8 is moved to fasten into the first eye fixture 9, as shown in Fig.7, thus retaining the resistance band as close to the end of the sleeve 1 as possible.

-10 -In the closed end device depicted in Fig.3, it is also possible to feed the resistance band through the connector loop 6A, as an alternative to the side connector loop 6. In this case, the loop 6A does not need to be adjustable in size to retain the resistance band in place, because the loop is always situated at the end of the sleeve.

The resistance band is stretched in across the body, so that the direction of the force is lateral against the arm. This further ensures that the material of the sleeve is alone sufficient to retain the arm band in place on the arm of a user. In this way, the embodiments of the devices of this invention provide a comfortable way for people with limb differences to effectively exercise.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An exercise device comprising an arm sleeve in the form of elastic fabric material extending at least above the elbow of the user, and at least one connector situated on the sleeve at the end of the arm for attachment to an exercise apparatus, characterized in that the material of the sleeve is alone sufficient to retain the sleeve in place on the arm of a user.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the sleeve material is a compression fabric.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the sleeve material is an elastane fabric.
4. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the end of the sleeve material comprises a strip of reinforcing fabric surrounding the circumference of the sleeve.
5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sleeve is closed at the end of the limb for users who do not have digits.
6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising two connectors, situated on opposite sides of the sleeve.
7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the connector is in the form of a loop of fabric.
8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the size of the connector loop is adjustable. -12 -
9. A device as claimed in claim 8, in which the connector loop is in the form of a fabric strip, wherein a first end of the fabric strip carries the first part of a retainer attached to a first surface of the fabric strip; and a second surface of the fabric strip carries a plurality of second parts of retainers, such that the fabric strip is arranged to form a loop when the two parts of the retainer are fitted together.
10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fabric strip carries three second parts of retainers.
11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the exercise apparatus is a resistance band.
12. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the device contains a connector strap which passes through a connector, which strap carries means to attach to an exercise apparatus.
13. A device as claimed in claim 12 wherein the exercise apparatus is a weights system.