# US 5,702,331 A · Non-gripping hand/foot resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus and method of use > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,702,331 A - Document ID: US5702331A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/721,607 - Filed: 1996-09-26 - Granted: 1997-12-30 - Earliest claimed: 1996-09-26 - Inventors: Christine M. Perham - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702331A ## CPC - A63B 21/0606: {Buoyant volumes to be submerged} - A63B 21/0084: {by moving the surrounding water (A63B31/00, A63B35/00 take precedence)} - A63B 23/03508: {For a single arm or leg, (A63B21/0726 takes precedence)} - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A buoyant body shaped substantially as a short, flexible, columnar buoyant body, constructed from polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored buoyant body to enhance their use, and to facilitate color coordination with an exerciser's swimwear. The buoyant body includes a port for receiving a hand, or foot, appropriately for the particular device to be used. The port is provided centrally positioned on the buoyant body, and defines a cavity, sized for receiving the exerciser's hand or foot in a relaxed and extended manner, and thus facilitates a non-gripping securement and grip-free manipulation of the buoyant body to produce resistance in a water exercising environment. For a hand manipulated buoyant body, the defined cavity is a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole that dimensionally conforms to the tapered shape of a hand from finger tips to beyond the knuckles and part of the palm without including the thumb. The fit is snug and relaxed without an exerciser having to exert a gripping force on the buoyant body while manipulating the buoyant body. The feel to the hand during use is a snug, relaxed, and secure feeling, and reflects a compressed deformation of the pliable foam material. The feel to the foot for a corresponding buoyant body is substantially the same. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a geometrically shaped, buoyant body; and a port for receiving a terminal part of a human's limb, said port being centrally positioned on said buoyant body, said port defining a cavity sized for receiving the said terminal part and facilitating a non-gripping securement of said buoyant body by an exerciser to enable a grip-free, resisted manipulation of said buoyant body in a water exercising environment, said geometrically shaped, buoyant body comprising a substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body constructed from polyethylene expanded foam material, said columnar, buoyant body being sized larger when the terminal part is a foot than when the terminal part is a hand, and said cavity comprises a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole sized such that a height dimension associated with an entry side is larger than a height dimension associated with an exit side of said through-hole. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's hand may be received therein. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 2, wherein: said substantially short, flexible columnar buoyant body further comprises said polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored, substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's foot may be received therein. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 4, wherein: said substantially short, flexible columnar buoyant body further comprises said polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored, substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body. ### Claim 6 A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a geometrically shaped, buoyant body; and a port for receiving a terminal part of a human's limb, said port being centrally positioned on said buoyant body, said port defining a cavity sized for receiving the terminal part and facilitating a non-gripping securement of said buoyant body by an exerciser to enable a grip-free, resisted manipulation of said buoyant body in a water exercising environment, said cavity comprises a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole sized such that a height dimension associated with an entry side is larger than a height dimension associated with an exit side of said through-hole. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's hand may be received therein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 7, wherein: said geometrically shaped, buoyant body comprises a substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body constructed from polyethylene expanded foam material, said substantially short, flexible columnar buoyant body further comprises said polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored, substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 6, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's foot may be received therein. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 9, wherein: said geometrically shaped, buoyant body comprises a substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body constructed from polyethylene expanded foam material, said substantially short, flexible columnar buoyant body further comprises said polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored, substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body. ### Claim 11 A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a geometrically shaped, buoyant body, said geometrically shaped, buoyant body comprises a substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body constructed from polyethylene expanded foam material, said substantially short, flexible columnar buoyant body further comprises said polyethylene expanded foam material having a coloring substance added to produce a colored, substantially short, flexible, columnar, buoyant body; and a port for receiving a terminal part of a human's limb, said port being centrally positioned on said buoyant body, said port defining a cavity sized for receiving the terminal part and facilitating a non-gripping securement of said buoyant body by an exerciser to enable a grip-free, resisted manipulation of said buoyant body in a water exercising environment, said columnar, buoyant body being sized larger when the terminal part is a foot than when the terminal part is a hand, said cavity comprises a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole sized such that a height dimension associated with an entry side is larger than a height dimension associated with an exit side of said through-hole. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's hand may be received therein. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) A resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus as described in claim 11, wherein: said tapered through-hole being sized such that an exerciser's foot may be received therein. ### Claim 14 A method of producing resistance by an exerciser exercising in an aquatic environment using aquatic exercise equipment without exerting a gripping force on said aquatic exercise equipment, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one, resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus, said apparatus comprising: a geometrically shaped, buoyant body; and a port for receiving a terminal part of the exerciser's limb, said port being centrally positioned on said buoyant body, said port defining a cavity sized for receiving the terminal part and facilitating a non-gripping securement of said buoyant body by said exerciser to enable a grip-free, resisted manipulation of said buoyant body in a water exercising environment, said cavity being a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole sized such that a height dimension associated with an entry side is larger than a height dimension associated with an exit side of said through-hole; (b) the exerciser selecting said provided aquatic exercise apparatus and preparing to exercise in said aquatic environment; (c) the exerciser selecting an exerciser's foot for inserting into said port; (d) inserting the exerciser's foot into said cavity; and (e) producing resistance by manipulating said buoyant body in said aquatic environment without said inserted terminal part having to exert a gripping force on said aquatic exercise equipment. ### Claim 15 A method of producing resistance by an exerciser exercising in an aquatic environment using aquatic exercise equipment without exerting a gripping force on said aquatic exercise equipment, said method comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one pair of resistance producing aquatic exercise apparatus, each of said apparatus comprising: a geometrically shaped, buoyant body; and a port for receiving a terminal part said port being centrally positioned on said buoyant body, said port defining a cavity sized for receiving the terminal part and facilitating a non-gripping securement of said buoyant body by said exerciser to enable a grip-free, resisted manipulation of said buoyant body in a water exercising environment, said cavity being a rectangular shaped, tapered through-hole sized such that a height dimension associated with an entry side is larger than a height dimension associated with an exit side of said through-hole; (b) the exerciser selecting said provided pair of aquatic exercise apparatus and preparing to exercise in said aquatic environment; (c) the exerciser selecting an exerciser's hand for inserting into said port on each apparatus; (d) inserting the exerciser's hand into a respective one of said tapered through-holes associated with said provided pair of aquatic exercise apparatus; and (e) producing resistance by manipulating said buoyant body in said aquatic environment without each of the inserted terminal parts having to exert a gripping force on said aquatic exercise equipment.