ITUB20156857A1 - BALL FOR THE FITNESS - Google Patents

Description

BALL FOR FITNESS

DESCRIPTION

The present patent relates to fitness balls and in particular it concerns a new multipurpose decomposable fitness ball, particularly for carrying out functional and / or bodyweight training activities.

Various devices and tools are known which are used to perform physical exercises for fitness and training, including for preventive or rehabilitative purposes. Functional training is known, in which the subject who trains does not use traditional gym machines, which affect single muscle sectors, but carries out exercises that affect multiple muscle sectors simultaneously and in a more natural way.

Functional training can be done bodyweight and / or using simple tools, such as fitness balls, medicine balls, handle balls, clubs, ropes, bars, rubber bands, etc.

Each of said tools and devices are particularly dedicated to carrying out specific activities and therefore often the purchase of some of them is not justified.

Gymnastic balls or "fitballs" are known. The known type of gymnastic ball is a medium-large sized air-inflated rubber ball, for example with a diameter greater than 50 cm, generally used for fitness and training activities, also for preventive or rehabilitative purposes, in which the 'user, using the ball, assumes various possible positions or performs exercises that require a certain balance and a certain effort, training various muscle sectors.

Said balls are in fact made of elastic material such that, to an action exerted on the external surface of the ball and having a component directed towards the inside of the ball itself, the elastic spherical wall reacts with a force having a component directed towards the outside. of the ball. Therefore, some effort and skill on the part of the user is required to maintain balance.

The proprioceptive platforms are also known, i.e. devices of various shapes and materials in some cases hemispherical or domed made of rubber or soft plastic filled or filled with any filling or inflatable material, suitable in the latter case to be placed on the ground with a dome upwards, i.e. in a stable position, or with a dome downwards, i.e. in an unstable position, and where the user leans on them to carry out activities that train, among other things, balance.

The document W002 / 30519 relates to a device for training the balance, formed by a platform of a substantially circular shape, with a rigid and flat base and a convex, domed part, said convex part being made of soft rubber and inflated with air.

By placing said device with the rigid base resting on the ground, the user can use the device to perform exercises resting on the cap part,

Conversely, by positioning the device with said cap part resting on the ground, the user uses the device as an unstable support.

Document CN 203915961 relates to a fitness ball comprising two hollow hemispheres able to be joined together to obtain a ball.

A frame is mounted inside the sphere which has the function of weighing the ball down, where said frame is made up of various parts or discs which can be stacked in various ways within the sphere, to vary the weight of the ball according to the requirements of use. The two hemispheres are then joined together and fixed in a laborious way. This fitness ball thus obtained is particularly difficult to use, since for a correct balance of the weights inside it is necessary to have a good dexterity and knowledge of the object, and moreover it requires a lot of time.

In addition to this, the two hemispheres are completely hollow and without a base, and therefore cannot be used individually, but only correctly assembled together.

Domed or cone-shaped devices are also known, suitable for being positioned on the ground spaced apart and in various possible arrangements, used as space delimiters for running courses or exercises for running, sprinting, slalom, etc.

A drawback of the known devices consists in the fact that each of them is used for carrying out a few specific activities and therefore, in order to be able to carry out a complete and varied training, it is necessary to have several different devices available, requiring spaces dedicated to the storage of such devices.

Often, during a course in the gym, for example followed by several participants, a lot of time is lost to put away the devices after use and to take others that are used to carry out the following activities, also involving numerous interruptions in the rhythm of the training.

Furthermore, if a person wants to carry out training activities at home, he cannot have all these devices, both for the economic burden of having to buy them, and for the absence of sufficient space available to be able to store them.

Fitness balls or "fitballs", in particular, are quite bulky. In order to obviate all the aforesaid drawbacks, a new type of decomposable and multipurpose fitness ball has been studied and realized, particularly for carrying out functional and / or free-body training activities.

The aim of the present invention is to have available a single device for carrying out various and numerous physical activities of fitness, functional training, preventive or rehabilitative activities, etc., for which several dedicated devices are currently required.

A consequent object of the present invention is therefore to reduce the quantity and bulk of the devices necessary for carrying out physical activities.

Another object of the present invention is to have available a fitness ball which can be disassembled to obtain at least one further element suitable to be used alone or in combination with other elements making up the ball, for carrying out further physical fitness activities. , training, etc.

Another object of the present invention is to simplify and speed up the decomposition and reassembly procedures of the ball, not requiring the use of any tool, force or particular procedures.

A further object is to make the fitness ball a useful device also for those who carry out physical exercise or training activities at home or "home training".

Another object is to limit the interruption times in the gym between one exercise and the next.

Another purpose is to reduce the purchase costs of fitness and training equipment.

These and other direct and complementary purposes are achieved by the new decomposable and multipurpose fitness ball, particularly suitable for free-body or functional training, comprising in its main parts at least two elements that can be fixed together in a removable way to form the spherical shape of the completely assembled ball, and where each of said elements is made of full elastic material or in any case filled with any filling material.

Said ball can therefore be decomposed into at least two elements, which can have any shape and size and can be identical or different, and where each of said elements in turn comprises a solid body or in any case filled with any filling material, made of rubber. or other material with similar mechanical properties, with at least one flat part, suitable for resting on the ground or for supporting a user, and at least a generically convex part, suitable for unstable support on the ground or for supporting a user.

In particular, in the preferred solution, said ball is formed by two hemispherical elements identical to each other, each in turn comprising a hemispherical body full or in any case filled with any filling material, in rubber or other material with similar mechanical properties, with said part flat of circular shape and said convex part with a hemispherical shape joined to said base. Said two identical hemispherical elements can be constrained to each other by opposing and joining the respective flat parts.

The union between said elements making up the sphere takes place by means of reversible union means, such as magnetic ones applied on said flat parts, adhesive means, hinges applied on the edges of said flat parts, tear-off systems, or any other means capable of allowing the rapid union and rapid decomposition between the parts.

In the preferred solution, each of said elements comprises at least one magnet mounted in the thickness of the element itself such that its exposed surface is preferably and substantially level with the surface of said flat part, therefore without protruding.

For example, said magnet is single and substantially circular in shape, substantially concentric with said flat part. In this way the alignment and union between the elements is facilitated and immediate.

It is however possible to provide for any arrangement of said one or more magnets.

To facilitate the detachment of said elements, it is provided that on said convex wall or preferably in correspondence with the corner between said flat part and said convex part, there is a recess, even of small dimensions, which can be used for the insertion of the fingers to detach the elements. . In order to avoid that said at least one magnet can annoy the user or scrape the floor when the element is placed on the ground, it is envisaged that at least said exposed surface of said at least one magnet is coated or covered with a suitable non-slip material, such as cloth or other.

For example, it can be provided that each of said elements is completely covered with a layer or lining made of fabric or other non-slip, removable or non-removable covering material.

The new fitness ball lends itself to countless uses and applications for physical exercises and functional training, requiring the use of the latter device which can be used in an assembled configuration or in a decomposed or partially decomposed configuration.

In said assembled configuration, the fitness ball has the classic spherical shape and can be used as a ball, i.e. for normal fitness and functional training activities, but also for throwing, bouncing and catching activities.

In the solution where the new ball is formed of two identical hemispherical elements, it is possible to use each of the two hemispherical elements individually or in combination with the other hemispherical element.

According to a first possible use, said single hemispherical element can be used with a flat part resting on the ground, in a stable position. According to a further possible use, said single hemispherical element can be used with the cap part resting on the ground, in an unstable position.

According to a further possible use, it is possible to use both said hemispherical elements, arranged side by side, close to each other or spaced apart, with a flat part resting on the ground.

According to a further possible use, it is possible to use both said hemispherical elements, arranged side by side, close to each other or spaced apart, with the cap part resting on the ground.

According to a further possible use, it is possible to use said hemispherical elements, placed in a stable position with a flat part resting on the ground, as space delimiters, for example for running paths, for running, sprinting, slalom exercises between them, etc.

According to a further possible use, it is also possible to use at least one of said hemispherical elements, placed in a stable or unstable position, as a proprioceptive platform.

According to a further possible use, it is also possible to use at least one of said hemispherical elements, preferably placed in a stable position, as a platform for step exercises.

Therefore, with said fitness ball, ie with a single device, it is possible to perform exercises for which at least four types of devices are currently required, namely: ball, proprioceptive platform, step platform, space delimiters.

Consequently, with a single device, it is possible to train all the components of fitness, ie muscle strength, cardio-circulatory endurance and flexibility.

It is also possible to diversify the exercises according to the difficulty, creating a didactic progression from easier exercises to more difficult exercises, from exercises in stable conditions to exercises in unstable conditions.

The new ball can therefore be used by any user, be it an athlete at any training stage or an elderly or disabled person. In addition to this, as already mentioned, the new ball can also be used in areas outside of fitness, such as for rehabilitative and preventive activities, for the improvement of balance (prevention of falls in the elderly), etc.

The new fitness ball can be of any size, for example with a diameter of 20cm, 25cm, 30cm, etc.

It is also possible to foresee that the new fitness ball has any weight according to the person who uses it and the activity to which it is dedicated.

It is also possible to provide that one or more stiffening elements of said flat part are positioned inside said elements making up the ball.

It is also possible to provide that on the convex parts of said elements making up the ball one or more handles or one or more elastic bands are applied, fixed in a removable or non-removable way.

The characteristics of the new fitness ball will be better clarified by the following description with reference to the drawing tables, attached as a non-limiting example.

Figure 1 shows the new ball (1) in a fully assembled configuration.

Figure 2 shows a section of a first element (2) making up the new ball (1), called first element (2) having a hemispherical shape.

Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the new blade (1) in a decomposed configuration, formed by two hemispherical elements (2, 3), which can be joined together by means of magnets (51, 52).

Figures 4, 5 and 6 show three possible training activities that can be carried out with the new ball (1) and with the elements (2, 3) that compose it.

It is a new modular and multipurpose fitness ball (1), particularly suitable for free-body or functional training, but also for preventive and rehabilitative activities.

The new ball (1) has a generically spherical shape, as shown in figures 1 and 4, and comprises at least two elements (2, 3) that can be releasably linked together to form said spherical shape.

Each of said elements (2, 3) is made of full elastic material or in any case filled with any filling material.

In particular, in the preferred solution, said ball (1) comprises two hemispherical elements (2, 3) identical to each other, each in turn comprising a hemispherical body full or in any case filled with any filling material, rubber or other material with similar mechanical properties, with a flat part (21, 31) of circular shape and a convex part (22, 32) with a hemispherical shape joined to said flat part (21, 31).

Said two identical hemispherical elements (2, 3) can be constrained to each other by opposing and joining the respective flat parts (21, 31), preferably by means of one or more magnets (51, 52) mounted on said flat parts (21, 31) themselves.

In particular, said magnets (51, 52) are mounted in the thickness of each element (21, 31) such that its exposed surface (53) is preferably and substantially level with the surface of said flat part (21, 31) of said element, therefore without protruding.

For example, said magnet (51, 52) of each element (2, 3) is unique and substantially circular in shape, substantially concentric with said flat part (21, 31).

To facilitate the detachment of said elements (2, 3) it is provided that, preferably in correspondence with the corner (23, 33) between said flat part (21, 31) and said convex part (22, 32) of one or both of said elements (2, 3), a recess (41, 42) is obtained, even of small dimensions, suitable for identifying an opening (4) for the insertion of fingers to detach the elements (2, 3)

It can be envisaged that each of said elements (2, 3) is completely covered with a covering or lining layer (6) made of fabric or other non-slip, removable or non-removable covering material.

As shown in figure 4, the fitness ball (1) is completely assembled and used for training the abdominal muscles. In this configuration, it can be used like a normal ball, i.e. for normal functional training activities, but also for throwing, rebounding and catching activities, and for training other muscle sectors.

In the solution of figure 5, one of said single hemispherical elements (2) can be used with said flat part (21) resting on the ground, in a stable position, for example to perform lunge exercises for the legs, but it can in any case be used in this configuration for training other muscle areas.

In the solution of figure 6, both said hemispherical elements (2, 3) can be used with said convex part (22, 32) resting on the ground, in an unstable position, placed side by side and spaced apart, for example to perform bending on the arms, but it can still be used in this configuration for training other muscle sectors.

These are the schematic modalities sufficient for the skilled person to realize the invention, consequently, in concrete application there may be variations without prejudice to the substance of the innovative concept.

Therefore, with reference to the above description and the attached tables, the following claims are expressed.

Claims (10)

CLAIMS 1. Fitness ball (1), with a substantially spherical shape particularly suitable for free or functional body training and for carrying out physical exercises in general, characterized by the fact that it includes at least two elements (2, 3) that can be linked together in removable way to constitute the spherical shape of the ball (1) completely assembled, and where each of said elements (2, 3) is made of solid elastic material or in any case filled with any filling material. 2. Fitness ball (1), as per claim 1, characterized by the fact that each of said elements (2, 3) in turn comprises a full body or in any case filled with any filling material, rubber or other material with similar mechanical properties, with at least one flat part (21, 31), suitable for supporting the ground or supporting a user, and at least a generically convex part (22, 32), suitable for unstable support on the ground or support of a user, and where each of said elements (2, 3) can be used alone or in combination with the others. 3. Fitness ball (1), as per claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises two of said elements (2, 3), each in turn comprising a solid body or in any case filled with any filling material of a shape hemispherical, with said flat part (21, 22) of circular shape and said convex part (22, 32) with a hemispherical cap joined to said flat part (21, 31), and where said two hemispherical elements (2, 3) they can be joined together in a removable way by opposing and joining the respective flat parts (21, 32) to form said spherical shape. 4. Fitness ball (1), according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises one or more reversible joining means of said elements (2, 3). 5. Fitness ball (1), as claim 4, characterized in that said joining means comprise at least one magnet (51, 52) mounted on said flat part (21, 31) of each of said elements (2, 3 ) and suitable for joining with a corresponding magnet (52, 51) mounted on the flat part (31, 32) opposite one another of said elements (3, 2), 6. Fitness ball (1), as per claim 5, characterized in that each of said magnets (51, 52) is mounted in the thickness of the relative element (2, 3) such that one of its surfaces (53) is preferably and substantially level with the surface of said flat part (21, 31) of the element (2, 3), therefore without protruding. 7. Fitness ball (1), as per claim 5 or 6, characterized in that each of said elements (2, 3) comprises a magnet (51, 52) of substantially circular shape, substantially concentric to said flat part ( 21, 31) of the elements (2, 3). 8. Fitness ball (1), as per any preceding claim, characterized in that on said convex wall (22, 32) of one or more of said elements (2, 3) and / or in correspondence or proximity to the edge (23, 33) between said flat part (21, 31) and said convex part (22, 32) of one or both of said elements (2, 3) there is at least one recess (41, 42) usable for insertion fingers to detach the elements (2, 3). 9. Fitness ball (1), as per any preceding claim, characterized in that each of said elements (2, 3) is completely covered with a layer or lining (6) of fabric or other removable covering material or not removable. 10. Fitness ball (1), as per claim 9, characterized in that said layer or lining (6) is made of non-slip material.