US20130165303A1

US20130165303A1 - Exercise device

Info

Publication number: US20130165303A1
Application number: US13/337,021
Authority: US
Inventors: Donna Niastro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-12-23
Filing date: 2011-12-23
Publication date: 2013-06-27

Abstract

An exercise device works on a user's abdominal muscles by permitting the user to twist their body. The exercise device may include a disc adapted to spin on its base. Folding handlebars may extend from the base to provide a hand grip for the user. To exercise, the user may stand on the disc and twist their lower body while keeping their upper body fixed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an exercise device and, more particularly, to an exercise device and exercise methods that may be beneficial to a user's abdominal muscles.
Conventional abdominal exercise devices are often large devices that may not be easily stored or moved. Such devices may dampen a user's motivation to exercise, since the set-up and take down time for the device may take nearly as long as the exercise routine. Also, conventional devices often require sufficient storage space when the devices are not in use. Some conventional abdominal exercise devices may use supplemental parts that must be assembled and separately stored. For example, some devices may use separate resistance bands that may break or become lost during movement and storage of the exercise device.
As can be seen, there is a need for an abdominal exercise device that may provide a user exercise of their abdominal muscles while being easy to set-up, use and store.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a exercise device comprises a base; a disc supported by the base, the disc adapted to rotate relative to the base; and a handlebar extending from the base.
In another aspect of the present invention, an exercise device comprises a base; a disc supported by the base, the disc adapted to rotate relative to the base; a foldable handlebar extending from the base, the foldable handlebar movable from an open position to a closed position; and a rotation resistance mechanism adapted to provide resistance to the rotation of the disc on the base.
In a further aspect of the present invention, a method for exercising a user's abdominal muscles comprises standing on a disc, the disc adapted to rotate relative to a base; holding a handlebar; rotating the user's feet with the disc while keeping the user's upper body from rotating.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the exercise device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the foot disc of the exercise device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the exercise device of FIG. 1 in a folded configuration;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a resistance mechanism of the exercise device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-section view showing a handlebar release mechanism of the exercise device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a foot action pin release of the exercise device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides an exercise device that may work on a user's abdominal muscles. The exercise device may include a disc adapted to spin on its base. Folding handlebars may extend from the base to provide a hand grip for the user. To exercise, the user may stand on the disc and twist their lower body while keeping their upper body fixed.
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, an exercise device 10 may include a disc 12 supported on a base 14. The disc 12 may have a diameter from about 10 inches to about 30 inches, typically from about 12 inches to about 20 inches. The disc 12 may include a lip 16 about its perimeter. The lip 16 may extend from about 0.1 to about 0.5 inch from the surface of the disc 12. The lip 16 may provide an indication to a user standing on the disc 12 that they are approaching the edge of the disc 12.
The base 14 may take the form of various configurations, so long as the base 14 supports the disc 12 off the surface supporting the base 14. In some embodiments, the base 14 may be hollow, curved tubular members. The base 14 may be made of various materials, including plastic, steel, aluminum and the like. Ends of the base may include slip-resistant feet 18. The feet 18 may help secure the exercise device 10 in place while being used.
In some embodiments, the base 14 may include four feet extending from the disc 12. Two adjacent ones of the feet may include a handle 20 extending therefrom. The handle 20 may include a height adjustment 22. In some embodiments, the height adjustment 22 may include a plurality of holes 22 a and a pin 22 b. The pin 22 b may be resiliently disposed in the hole 22 a. A user may press in the pin 22 b to raise or lower the handle grip portion 20 a of the handle 20. The height adjustment 22 may be used to provide the handle grip portion 20 a at a sufficient height for a user standing on the disc 12.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the disc 12 may be adapted to spin when mounted in the base 14. In some embodiments, the resistance of the disc 12 to rotating in the base 14 may be adjustable. Various resistance adjustment mechanisms may be used in the present invention. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 5, a disc channel 24 may be formed in a bottom side of the disc 12. The disc channel 24 may be concentric with an outer circumference of the disc 12. A base channel 26 may be formed in the base 14. The base channel 26 may align directly below the disc channel 24 when the disc 12 is disposed on the base 14. A threaded screw member 28 may be disposed to raise and lower the disc 12 relative to the base 14. A ring 30 may be disposed in the disc channel 24 and the base channel 26. In some embodiments, the ring 30 may be a plastic ring. An enlarged handle 32 may be disposed on the threaded screw member 28 to help provide a handle to allow a user to turn the threaded screw member 28. If the user raises the disc 12 (increases a separation between the disc 12 and the base 14), the resistance the user experiences against rotating the disc 12 (when the user is standing on the disc 12) may decrease.
The end of the threaded screw member 28 may include a bearing 34 for attaching the screw member 28 to the disc 12. The bearing 34 may permit the disc 12 to rotate while the base 14 and the screw member 28 remains stationary.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, the handlebar 20 may be adapted to be folded where the handlebar 20 attaches to the base 14. A pin 36 may extend through holes in the handlebar 20. The pin 36 may provide a pivot point for the handlebar 20 to rotate relative to the base 14. A pin release 38 may be resiliently disposed to keep the handlebar 20 in an in-use position (as shown in FIG. 1). A pin release pull cord 42 may be attached at an end of the pin release 38 such that, as the pin release pull cord 42 is pulled, the pin release 38 may pull out of a hole in the handlebar 20 to permit the handle bar to fold down toward the base 14. In some embodiments, the pin release 38 may engage a second hole (not shown) in the handlebar 20 to lock the handlebar 20 in a folded position (as shown in FIG. 4).
A foot action pin release 40 may be attached to the pin release pull cord 42 such that the user may simply step on the foot action pin release 40 to cause the pin release pull cord 38 to pull the pin release 38 from the handlebar 20, permitting the handlebar 20 to be folded.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An exercise device comprising:

a base;

a disc supported by the base, the disc adapted to rotate relative to the base; and

a handlebar extending from the base.

2. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the handlebar has a height adjustment adapted to change the height of a handle grip of the handlebar.

3. The exercise device of claim 1, wherein the handlebar is foldable from an open position to a closed position.

4. The exercise device of claim 3, further comprising a release pin adapted to secure the handlebar in the open position.

5. The exercise device of claim 4, further comprising a foot action pin release adapted to resiliently pull the release pin from the handlebar to permit the handlebar to be moved in the closed position.

6. The exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a rotation resistance mechanism adapted to provide resistance to the rotation of the disc on the base.

7. The exercise device of claim 6, further comprising:

a disc channel cut in a circle in a bottom surface of the disc; and

a base channel cut in the base, wherein the base channel aligns with the disc channel when the disc is on the base.

8. The exercise device of claim 7, further comprising a ring disposed in the disc channel and the base channel.

9. The exercise device of claim 8, further comprising a screw member adapted to raise and lower the disc relative to the base.

10. The exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a lip about a perimeter of the disc.

11. An exercise device comprising:

a base;

a disc supported by the base, the disc adapted to rotate relative to the base;

a foldable handlebar extending from the base, the foldable handlebar movable from an open position to a closed position; and

a rotation resistance mechanism adapted to provide resistance to the rotation of the disc on the base.

12. The exercise device of claim 11, further comprising a handlebar locking mechanism adapted to lock the handlebar in at least one of the open position and the closed position.

13. The exercise device of claim 12, further comprising a foot action pin release adapted to move a pin release to unlock the locking mechanism.

14. The exercise device of claim 11, further comprising:

a disc channel cut in a circle in a bottom surface of the disc;

a base channel cut in the base, wherein the base channel aligns with the disc channel when the disc is on the base; and

a ring disposed in the disc channel and the base channel.

15. The exercise device of claim 14, further comprising a screw member adapted to raise and lower the disc relative to the base.

16. A method for exercising a user's abdominal muscles, comprising:

standing on a disc, the disc adapted to rotate relative to a base;

holding a handlebar;

rotating the user's feet with the disc while keeping the user's upper body from rotating.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising adjusting a resistance of rotation of the disc.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising folding the handlebar to a closed position when the user is finished.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising depressing a foot action pin release to unlock the handlebar from an open position to permit movement to the closed position.