US 5,472,394 A · Parachute for athletic resistance and speed training

Abstract

A sport parachute for use in speed and endurance enhancement training for athletes, particularly runners, bikers, skaters, etc. engaged in recreational activities and amateur or professional sports. The parachute is provided with cords attached at one end to cord attachment points along the edge of a parachute sheet and attached together commonly at the other end thereof and to a strap, e.g. a belt, to be worn by the athlete. The cords are brought together through a resistance adjuster that alters the free length of the cords and the resulting shape of the parachute when inflated to thereby alter the drag afforded by the inflated parachute. The parachute sheet is formed with air pockets extending radially from near the center of the sheet and terminating at the cord attachment points. The drag afforded by the parachute may be adjusted by the degree of opening of the pockets and the spreading apart of the cord attachment points. A quick release mechanism allows the release of the parachute while the athlete is moving to effect an over-speed condition.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An athletic speed and endurance training parachute comprising:

a parachute sheet cut into a pre-formed shape having a peripheral edge and a plurality of cord attachment points separated by sheet free edge segments;
a plurality of elongated cords each attached at one end to the plurality of cord attachment points of said parachute sheet and connected together commonly at the other end thereof;
a strap adapted to be worn by an athlete and having means for attaching the commonly connected ends of said cords thereto;
and
resistance adjuster means positionable along the lengths of said cords between said commonly connected ends and said parachute sheet attachment points for adjusting the free lengths of the cords and the resulting drag afforded by the parachute when inflated by air in response to movement of the athlete, said resistance adjuster means including releasable locking means having an engaged state for engaging said cords to prevent movement of said resistance adjuster means for speed and endurance training and a released state for releasing said cords and allowing positioning of said resistance adjuster means along said cords to a selected position along the lengths of said cords to adjust said free lengths.

2 more elements

An athletic speed and endurance training parachute comprising:

a parachute sheet cut into a pre-formed shape having a peripheral edge and a plurality of cord attachment points separated by sheet free edge segments;
a plurality of elongated cords each attached at one end to the plurality of cord attachment points of said parachute sheet and connected together commonly at the other end thereof;
body attachment means adapted to be worn by an athlete for attaching the commonly connected ends of said cords to the athlete's body;
and
remote controlled quick release means for allowing a quick release of said body attachment means to release said parachute from the athlete's body during movement so that the drag provided by the inflated parachute may be released to effect an over-speed condition for enhanced speed training, said quick release means further comprising radio controlled receiver and release means responsive to a transmitted radio control signal for releasing said parachute from the athlete's body while the athlete is moving.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Parachute for athletic resistance and speed training

Life of this patent

Parachute for athletic resistance and speed training

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19