Aerobic exercise device

#The invention is directed to a portable exercise device that allows for vigorous exercising by persons not able to afford expensive equipment or do not have the time to use facilities at a club or gym. Further, the invention is also directly suited to persons who find it difficult or undesirable to exercise o heavy cumbersome and complicated exercise equipment, such that the invention allows for relatively simple and uncomplicated exercising with substantially the same benefits accruing thereby as compared with these heavy and cumbersome prior-art apparatuses. In particularity, the present invention allows one to simulate jump-roping without the need of a jump rope, with all of the concomitant beneficial results, or to simulate only the arm movements of jump-roping alone without movement of the legs.

#It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide an aerobic exercise device that is portable in nature, light-weight, and facile in use.

#It is an objective of the invention to provide such a portable aerobic exercise device that allows one to exercise at the site of his choice, such as home, apartment, hotel room, and the like, without the need of setting up complicated or expensive equipment.

#The invention will be more readily undserstood with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the aerobic exercise device according to the invention;

#FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

#Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, the aerobic exercise device of the invention is indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The device 10 has a cylindrically-shaped handle element 12 having an inner hard core 12' and an outer concentric padded layer 12" to provide comfortable and safe gripping by a hand. While the core 12' is shown as having a hollow interior, it may be solid. At one end of the core 12', there is provided a projecting pivot shaft 16 embodied by a screw threaded into a female opening formed in an interior block 18 mounted within the hollow interior of the core 12, as clearly shown in FIG. 1. When the core 12' is solid throughout, the need for the anchoring block 18 is obviated.

#Rotatably coupled to the pivot shaft, and therefore to the handle element 12, is a flexible, stretchable elongated member 22 having an upper, or first, relatively thick portion 24 tapering into a lower, or second, narrow portion 26. The upper or first portion has a part thereof that is circular in shape, as shown in FIG. 3, and mounts an interiorly positioned bearing housing having an inner race 28, an outer race 30, and ball bearings 32. The pivot shaft 16 extends through the bearing housing, as shown in FIG. 1, to thereby anchor the inner race to the handle element 12. The outer race 30 is fixedly connected to the interior surface of the opening of the first portion of the elongated member 22, so that the elongated member is rotatable with respect inner race and the pivot shaft 16. The upper portion 24 of the elongated member 22 also provides for greater stability during rotation, so the elongated member 22 remains substantially in the same plane of rotation with no wobbling thereof. The elongated member 22 extends interiorly through a hollow cylindrical or tubular weighted element 40, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. At the end of the second portion 26 of the elongated member 22, there is provided an enlarged wedge-shaped member 42, which member 42 has diametric portions thereof greater than the inner diameter opening of the end 40' of the weighted element 40. The tubular element 40 is slidable relative to the elongated member 26, so that, upon rotation of the elongtated member 22 about the pivot shaft 16 via the handle element 12, the weighted tubular element 40 is forced outwardly away from the pivot shaft 16 by centrifugal force until the end 40' contacts the enlarged wedge-shaped member 42. At this stage, continued and increased angular velocity of revolving of the tubular element 40 causes the stretching and elongation of the elongated member 22 owing to the increased centrifugal forces associated therewith, to thereby create the shock-absorbing or cushioning effect above-identified. The wedge, or frustro-conical, shape of the member 42 also provides a gradual transition between stages defined by the angular velocities at which stretching or elongation of the member 22 is present. The stop member 42 may alternatively be a simple plug that is at all times fixedly connected in the open end 40' of the tubular element, whether the element 40 is revolving or not.

#To allow for the adjustability of the moment or torque created during revolutions of the tubular element 40, there is provided a hollow, frustro-conically shaped weight element 50 defining a frustro-conically shaped interior volume surrounding the outer circumference of the tubular element 40, as seen in FIG. 2. The weight-element 50 is positionable at any portion along the outer circumference of the tubular element 40 via an o-ring 52 that frictionally engages the outer surface of the tubular element 40. In use, the o-ring is positioned at a desired portion of the outer circumferential surface, and thereafter the weight-element 50 is slid toward the o-ring until the o-ring is forced into the larger open end 50' of the weight-element, so that a tight frictional engagement is achieved therebetween. The o-ring is conventional and made of rubber, or the like, and may be moved along the tubular element 40 by rolling it, but not by sliding it. Therefore, upon the acceptance of the o-ring in the larger opening of the weight-element, the revolving of the tubular element will not cause the movement of the weight-element since the friction between the o-ring and the outer circumferential surface of the tubular element will prevent any relative movement. The position of the weight-element determines the torque developed during revolution at any given angular speed, with greater torque being created as the weight-element is positioned closer to the end 40'. The weight-element may take the form of a cylinder as shown in FIG. 6, with the weight-element 55 defining a frustro-conically shaped hollow interior 57. Depending upon the weight desired, the weight-element may be made of metal, plastic such as acrlyic, and the like.