US20120214653A1

US20120214653A1 - Yoga block

Info

Publication number: US20120214653A1
Application number: US12/932,181
Authority: US
Inventors: Elaine Tsou
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-02-18
Filing date: 2011-02-18
Publication date: 2012-08-23

Abstract

A yoga block in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a prism-shaped triangular block that provides a stable and solid base on all sides, horizontally and vertically, and is equipped with ergonomically placed hand grooves and multiple level hand slots for tailored use. A yoga block that is prism-shaped and triangular can benefit beginners and advanced yoga practitioners alike in the journey to refine their practice through safe and proper alignment various yoga postures. Furthermore, the present invention in the preferred embodiment is enhanced with large slots at differing height levels, which allows for easy and accurate tracking of improvement and personal goals, creating a truly multi-functional, cost-efficient item for manufacture. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment is preferably composed of lightweight yet sturdy materials such as: foam, cork, or natural wood, but is in no way limited to these suggested materials.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 29/370,550, filed 2010 Aug. 4 by the present inventor.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a prism-shaped triangular yoga block, which is equipped with ergonomically sculpted grooves in addition to multi-level slots to provide a safe and tailored support system to yoga practitioners. Yoga is a practice involving prescribed positions, coupled with concentration and controlled breathing. Millions of Americans practice yoga in its various forms and studies, making it a popular method of exercise, physical therapy, and effective tool for relaxation and stress management. Yoga is widely used as a means to improve mobility, strength, balance, flexibility, and breathing capacity.
Approaches to practicing yoga include the use of a series of forms a practitioner's body takes, which is referred to as a pose, posture, or position. Yoga assistance devices are called yoga props, which include: blocks, wedges, bolsters, blankets, and mats. Yoga props are used to facilitate entrance into postures and to provide general cushioning and support, thereby creating increased security and proper alignment in yoga postures that would otherwise not be possible. Many such yoga props, more specifically the conventional brick-shaped yoga block, provides only limited benefits to its users.
A most essential shortcoming of the conventional brick-shaped yoga block is its shape. Conventional yoga blocks contain mostly narrow surface areas as sides, thereby providing limited stability and minimal support. The teetering and wobbly effect of a conventional brick-shaped yoga block gives little reliability and very poor confidence in safe support to its user.
Furthermore, the conventional brick-shaped yoga block is not ergonomically designed to conform to the human hand, and therefore does not allow for a secure grip. A conventional yoga block does not contain ergonomically placed hand grooves which provide a secure grasp to its user.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention relate to apparatuses that constitute a yoga block. More particularly, those embodiments relate to a rectangular yoga block or similarly modified yoga prop. The conventional yoga block is a brick-shaped, rectangular block usually made of foam, wood, or cork. The narrow surface area of conventional yoga blocks provide for limited stability and a teetering effect, providing minimal support and little reliability to yoga practitioners. Furthermore, the conventional yoga block is not ergonomically designed to conform to the human hand and does not allow for a secure grip.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an apparatus that accommodates to the user's physical limitations, allowing the user to comfortably and conveniently maintain yoga postures. It is a main objective of the present invention to provide a yoga block that is ergonomically designed in size and shape that is also fabricated to provide its user with safe support while encouraging proper alignment within a prescribed posture.
Another objective of the present invention is that it be constructed with multiple levels of difficulty by way of height or boost variations from the floor to the user. This includes three levels on each side of the triangle, plus a fourth level when the block is placed at its vertical tallest.
It is still another objective of the present invention to be configured to provide superior grip ability to a yoga practitioner. This is achieved in the preferred embodiment of the present invention by further including six ergonomically placed grooves (three on the front and back). This becomes especially comfortable when the block is placed vertically for beginning yoga practitioners who need the largest amount of grip ability along with the maximum height boost from the floor.
It is still another objective of the present invention to be tailored for use by beginners and advanced yoga practitioners, and all levels in between, in order to attain and maintain yoga postures and prescribed positions while experiencing superior support and comfort.
A yoga block which is prism-shaped and triangular can also be beneficial to yoga practitioners for the simple benefit of comfort, as well as offering placement in such as way as to provide added assistance to challenging specific twist or balance postures or poses that would otherwise be uncomfortable or painful to do.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents the top view of a yoga block in the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view A-A through the present invention of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention, showing the suggested fourth level.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention, showing the suggested third level.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the present invention, showing the suggested second level.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the present invention, showing the suggested first level.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

A prism-shaped triangular yoga block, as shown in FIG. 1 of the present invention is designed with ergonomically placed grooves 9 that allow for a firm grasp by the thumb, index, and middle fingers of the user's right or left hand. FIG. 2 shows a front view of the present invention, displaying three such grooves 9 on both the front and back of the prism-shaped yoga block. FIG. 8 provides a perspective view of the present invention standing at its vertical tallest d, giving the user the maximum secure and modified height boost from the floor or other stable practicing surface. The tallest height boost d allows the present invention to offer the most assistance to yoga practitioners, and therefore can be appropriately named “level one” in the multiple levels this single device offers. These finger grooves 9 found in FIGS. 1, 2, and 8 are preferred because they provide additional stability and proper alignment within a variety of balance and twist yoga postures that may otherwise be painful or unavailable to the practitioner without the use of such a prop.
Another feature of the invention is the large triangular surface plane 13 found on both the front and back of the prism-shaped yoga block The front view as seen in FIG. 2 shows a triangular surface 13 that is present on both the front and back of the prism-shaped triangular yoga block. This triangular front and back plane 13 covers a much larger surface area than would the slim rectangle surface of a conventional brick-shaped yoga block. It is for this reason that a triangular surface is more desirable. An additional benefit of a triangular front and back 5 is that the user's palm can rest easily on such a larger surface without difficulty. A larger contact surface area to the floor from the present invention can provide the yoga practitioner with an easy-to-use block prop with noticeably increased stability and user confidence. As previously mentioned, FIG. B represents the perspective view of the yoga block as it sits vertically, making this the largest amount of boost d. When the larger triangular surface 13 is combined with the ergonomically shaped finger grooves 9 on both front and back sides, the present invention in this preferred embodiment offers tremendous improved stability and safety to all levels of yoga practitioners.
In addition to the reliability and increased safety and support found through wider large-surface triangular front and back faces 13, the present invention offers additional functionality and usability through the placement of multiple hand slots ranging in height boost. FIG. 3 is a side view of the present invention which shows one wide and generously shaped hand slot 10. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of FIG. 1, via the sectional cut A-A, which illustrates the height boost. In this case height boost a is measured from the floor to the user through the use of the present invention as a block prop. FIGS. 5 and 8 are perspective views of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and show multiple height-boost levels through the use of hand slots 10 and 11. In FIG. 5, the floor to user height-boost a is at its most minimal, thereby providing the least amount of aide to its user, and so can be appropriately labeled as the most challenging, “level four”. Similarly, it can be seen in FIG. 6 that the floor-to-user height boost b is greater than that found in the height boost a in FIG. 5, and so can be appropriately labeled as “level three”.
FIG. 7 is yet another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention which displays the use of a height-boost level without the use of hand slots. This can be achieved by utilizing the entire side of the hand rest 12, while still achieving yet another different level of height boost c. The level of height boost C found in FIG. 7 can best be described as “level two” since it offers less boost from the floor to the user than would d found in FIG. 8, but more boost than a or b as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, respectively. Regardless of whether one employs hand placement levels a, b, c, or d, the function of offering multiple height boost levels a yoga practitioner is for the benefit of a tailored and individually tuned practice, all in one easy to use prism-shaped triangular yoga block prop. Besides being extremely multi-functional and efficient, the present invention is both cost-effective and very easily manufactured to a widely growing international audience of yoga practitioners.

Claims

1. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment comprising a construction and fabrication of a triangular form with a resemblance to that of a prism shape, having numerous ergonomically placed hand grooves and multiple height boost levels in the form of hand slots.

2. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment of claim 1 which is constructed of a right triangle; however, it is not limited to any specific type of triangle or triangular form. More specifically, the present invention may be constructed with any three-dimensional geometric shape consisting of three-sides and three angles.

3. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment which is usually fabricated from lightweight and sturdy materials such as foam, cork, or natural wood, but is not limited to these suggested materials or any specific materials with varying densities and softness.

4. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment of claims 1 and 2 is ergonomically configured with, but is not limited to, selected hand grooves on the front and back sides to provide a substantially tighter hand grip to the user, thereby offering a more secure grasp on the yoga prop as an aid during one's yoga practice.

5. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment of claims 1 and 2 is further enhanced with, but is not limited to, multiple levels of hand slots designed to provide differing height boost from a support surface for progression of difficulty, in order to increase the challenge of specific balance or twist postures of yoga practitioners. The present invention is not limited to the prescribed hand slots in the preferred embodiment, nor is it limited any combination of hand slots or even absence of hand slots.

6. A yoga block in the preferred embodiment of the present invention in claims 1, 2, 4, and 5 is not limited to any specified height boost measurement from the floor to user in any and all hand slots or grooves; nor is it limited to any specified ascending levels of difficulty or lack thereof.