US 5,735,776 AGranted

Isometric exercise ball

OwnerRobert L. Swezey, Richard Swezeyinventors

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Abstract

A versatile bidirectional isometric exercise device is provided in the form of an inflatable flexible exercise ball, about 18 inches in diameter, fitted with a pair of looped handles, secured to diametrically opposite points of the ball, through which arms or legs can be placed for performing specialized exercises that use the ball in a tension mode. The ball is only partially inflated so as to provide soft compliant accommodation to various body surfaces, and can be utilized bidirectionally, i.e. either in compression or in tension, in conjunction with various body parts such as hands, legs, knees, feet, etc., for a broad array of isometric muscle exercises directed to overall body strengthening, particularly for persons prone to and/or desiring protection from the effects of osteoporosis. A sequence of recommended exercises may be depicted directly on the surface of the ball. Attachment of the handles to the main ball portion may be made by sonic welding. In one embodiment an internal bladder is enclosed in a fabric cover, and in one version of this, two hemispheric portions are formed to each provide an integral looped handle. A pressure gauge and/or user-adjustable alarm indicator may be provided to indicate muscular force applied in either compression or tension.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An exercise ball comprising:

a hollow inflatable main ball portion made from flexible material shaped to form a sphere of predetermined volume capacity when fully inflated, said ball portion being partially inflated to within a range from about two-thirds to three-quarters of the volume capacity;
a pair of like flexible looped handles disposed at diametrically opposed regions of the main ball portion, the handles being dimensioned to allow a human foot to pass through the looped handle;
an inflatable bladder portion;
first and second complementary hemispheric fabric cover portions constructed and arranged to each have a corresponding one of said looped handles attached integrally thereto at a peripheral region thereof by an attachment straps, said first and second fabric covers being mutually attached around the peripheral region, fully enclosing said bladder portion, each of said cover portions each being constructed and arranged to have pass-through slot means defined in a peripheral region opposite the location of the attachment strap, for utilizing an attachment strap passing through the slot means in order to assist in holding said cover portions together;
and
said first and second fabric covers being constructed and arranged to surround said bladder portion and to be mutually attached around peripheral regions thereof so as to form a spherical entity, such that the looped handles are caused to become effectively attached via the respective straps to diametrically opposed regions of the main ball portions, disposed at substantially equal distances outwardly from the main ball portion.

3 more elements

A method of providing isometric exercise directed to various body regions comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a partially-inflated ball of flexible material fitted with a pair of diametrically-opposed handles forming arched loops each large enough to insert a human foot therethrough;
(2) applying muscular force from a user's body to the ball in accordance with a recommended exercise instruction in a manner to cause the ball to exert a force that counterbalances the applied muscular force.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/509,144Filed 31 Jul 1995
Granted: 7 Apr 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A63B 21/0085
Using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters: using pneumatic force-resisters
A63B 21/00069
Mechanical means for varying the resistance: setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing…
A63B 21/4017
Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor: to the upper limbs
A63B 39/00
Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves