WO2007104509A1

WO2007104509A1 - Elastic band with dynamometric protrusions

Info

Publication number: WO2007104509A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/002138
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giovanni Battistin
Original assignee: Cuzzolin, Francesco
Priority date: 2006-03-13
Filing date: 2007-03-12
Publication date: 2007-09-20
Also published as: ITTV20060036A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a sports equipment (1) comprising a hollow tube (2) made of elastically deformable material and a plurality of locking devices (3) coaxially associated to the hollow tube (2). The locking devices (3) may be selectively associated, by the user, to an anchoring element (4) and/or to a gripping element such as, for example, a handle (5).

Description

ELASTIC BAND WITH DYNAMOMETRIC PROTRUSIONS

DESCRIPTION

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a sports equipment, particularly for carrying out gymnastic exercises, for example adapted for the strengthening, rehabilitation or conditioning of human body musculature.

Prior art

Nowadays, for carrying out such gymnastic exercises, machines are commonly used which essentially comprise a support seat and/or bench and weights, associated to suitable pulleys adapted for the user's lifting of the weights.

The main drawback of such machines lies in the fact that they are cumbersome and very heavy, making their transport by the user to another site rather difficult if not impossible.

Another important drawback is due to the high cost of a machine of this type.

Still another drawback is due to the fact that such machines of known type are not very flexible in use, being quite often made, for example, to permit the adequate strengthening of only few specific muscles.

As an alternative to such machines of known type, barbells and dumbbells are commonly used, by themselves or in combination with benches.

Such an equipment of known type also has the drawback of not permitting a great flexibility of use.

Moreover, this equipment has the drawback of being in any case rather heavy and cumbersome, not allowing an easy transport by the user.

The use of elastic bodies such as elastically deformable cords or tubes is also known, these cords or tubes being equipped at the ends with gripping means for two users, or with one gripping means and one anchoring means to a hook or a rod which has been previously fixed, for example, to a wall. These sports equipments, while being light and easily transportable, have the drawback of having a predetermined deformation force depending on the mechanical characteristics of the material and on the geometry of the elastic body.

Elastic tubes are for example commercially widespread having different colors as a function of the possessed elasticity characteristics, so as to be easily distinguishable by the user.

Such elastic bodies of known type can possibly be tied together or tied to the anchoring means so as to vary the resulting elastic force.

Their main drawback lies in the fact that in order to know the real elastic force which these tubes are capable to generate, one is forced to use other measuring systems, not always available and accessible, with consequent calibration processes.

The elastic bodies of known type, moreover, possess the drawback of having a limited range of use: in order to be able to carry out a complete exercise of the various muscles of the human body, it is in fact necessary to be equipped with various elastic bodies, possibly with different elastic forces, to be used alternatively or in combination with each other.

A further drawback which occurs when such elastic bodies of known type are tied with each other, consists in the need of untying them once the use is concluded and every time it is necessary to vary the application.

Summary of the invention

The main purpose of the present invention is therefore that of resolving the highlighted technical problems, eliminating the drawbacks of the cited prior art and of devising a sports equipment which is light and easily transportable, permitting at the same time a versatile use which may be effectively applied to the greater part of the muscles of the human body.

Within the framework of the aforementioned purpose, another important object is that of providing a sports equipment which allows to vary the force and the direction of application of the same in a simple and rapid manner.

Still another object of the present invention consists in allowing an immediate knowledge of the force applied to the sports equipment, without the need to calibrate or arrange additional devices. Last but not least object is that of making a sports equipment which is structurally simple, the same having limited production costs.

The aforementioned purpose and objects, as well as others which will be clearer below, are achieved by a sports equipment comprising a hollow tube made of elastically deformable material and a plurality of locking devices coaxially associable to said hollow tube, wherein the locking devices are selectively associable to an anchoring element and/or to a gripping element.

Preferred features of the sports equipment according to the invention are defined in the attached dependent claims 2-8 the content of which is herein integrally incorporated by reference.

Brief description of the drawings

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be better apparent from the detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of indication and not of limitation in the sheets of drawings attached herewith, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a possible application of a preferred sports equipment according to the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a particular, partially-sectioned embodiment of the sports equipment according to the invention;

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate the embodiment of FIG. 2 employed in two different manners, which correspond to two different traction forces;

FIG. 5 illustrates a different embodiment of the sports equipment according to the invention.

Detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments

With reference to figures 1-4, a sports equipment according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention and comprising a hollow tube 2, which is suitably made of an elastically deformable material, is generally indicated at 1.

In this particular embodiment, the sports equipment comprises four locking devices, all indicated at 3, housed within the hollow tube 2 and advantageously constituted by balls - -

made of rigid material or in any case made of a scarcely deformable material.

The locking devices 3 have a greater diameter than the inner diameter of the hollow tube 2, such that a mutual coupling occurs by interference.

In this way, the locking devices 3 are held in place by the same elastic force of the walls of the hollow tube 2.

A longitudinal traction of the hollow tube 2 leads to an elongation thereof and at the same time to a narrowing/tightening of the hollow section of the tube 2 itself, both upstream and downstream of each of the locking devices 3, preventing a possible longitudinal sliding thereof.

Each of said locking devices 3 is capable to be selectively associated to an anchoring element, such as for example a first hook 4 which is previously fixed to a wall, to the floor or to the ceiling or to any other fixed surface.

Such a first hook 4 is shaped so as to allow the passage of the hollow tube 2 but not of the locking devices 3, acting in this manner as an abutment means for one of the latter.

As illustrated in figures 3 and 4, the sports equipment 1 may be also associated to a gripping element, such as a handle 5 equipped with a second hook indicated with numeral 6, by means of a different locking device 3.

It is also possible to associate the sports equipment 1, on opposite sides, to two different gripping elements 5, so as to be possibly utilized by two different users simultaneously or even possibly by one single user.

The use is therefore the following: with reference to the aforementioned figures, the user can fix a first portion of the sports equipment 1 to an anchoring element or to a gripping element at the locking device 3 closest to said first portion.

hi the same manner, the user can fix a second portion of the sports equipment 1 to a gripping element at a different locking device 3 closest to the second portion.

As a function of the two locking devices 3 chosen, the elastic force which is developed by pulling the sports equipment 1 is inversely proportional to the distance between the two locking devices 3 themselves.

As a function of the mechanical and geometric characteristics of the sports equipment, - -

the manufacturer can readily provide the user with information for precisely determining the elastic force as a function of the locking devices chosen each time.

It can be verified how the invention has achieved the predetermined purpose and objects, since it allows the user to easily transport the sports equipment even during trips and transfers, being able to exercise in a complete manner even at home or in a hotel.

The invention has a rather versatile use, allowing the user to effectively exercise most muscles of the human body, since both the force and its direction of application are easily modifiable.

Moreover, the user may easily find out the force applied to the equipment, without having to calibrate or arrange additional devices.

Clearly, the invention can be subject to numerous modifications and variants, all falling within the scope of the same inventive concept.

Thus, for example, it is possible to make a sports equipment comprising locking devices having a shape different from that illustrated above, and hence for example of cylindrical, ovoidal, prismatic or biconical shape, as long as said locking devices are preferably housed with interference along the hollow tube.

It is also possible to accomplish other embodiments of the invention, such as for example a second embodiment indicated at 11 in figure 5, in which locking devices 13 are externally arranged along a hollow tube 12, the locking devices 13 having an opening, for example a hole, for the passage with interference of the same hollow tube.

Clearly, the utilized materials as well as the size of the single components of the invention may be suitably chosen as a function of the specific needs.

The different means to achieve certain different functions should not necessarily coexist only in the embodiment illustrated, but could be present per se in many embodiments, even not illustrated herein.

The features indicated as advantageous, desirable or similar, could also be absent or substituted by equivalent ones.

Claims

1. Sports equipment (1) comprising a hollow tube (2) made of elastically deformable material and a plurality of locking devices (3) coaxially associable to said hollow tube (2), wherein the locking devices (3) are selectively associable to an anchoring element (4) and/or to a gripping element (5).

2. Sports equipment according to claim 1 wherein said locking devices (3) and said hollow tube (2) are mutually coupled by interference.

3. Sports equipment according to claim 1 and 2 wherein said locking devices (3) have at least one dimension which is greater than the inner diameter of said hollow tube (2).

4. Sports equipment according to one or more of the preceding claims wherein said locking devices (3) are constituted by a solid body made of a rigid or of a scarcely deformable material.

5. Sports equipment according to claim 1 wherein said locking devices (3) are spaced along said hollow tube (2).

6. Sports equipment according to claim 5 wherein said locking devices (3) are spaced at equal distances along said hollow tube (2).

7. Sports equipment according to claim 1 wherein said locking devices (3) have a cylindrical, ovoidal, prismatic or biconical shape.

8. Sports equipment according to claim 1 wherein said locking devices (3) have at least one opening having a minimum dimension lower than the external diameter of said hollow tube (2) for the mutual coupling to said hollow tube (2).